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CoverStory AYodHYA VeRdicT

Prime Minister. The face of Kalyan Singh can work Vinay Katiyar:
The Ram Mandir Ordinance wonders for the BJP when it comes to VinayKatiyar is the
and the subsequent Ayodhya Act
founder-president
pushing the agenda of Ram Mandir
The Key Players had been brought “to acquire the ahead of 2022 state assembly polls. organisation Vishwa
of Bajrang Dal, the
site of the disputed structure and
youth wing of the
suitable adjacent land for setting
Murli Manohar Joshi:
Hindu nationalist
Was a strong and vocal
up a complex” that would have
Hindu Parishad in
a temple dedicated to Lord Ram.
The NarasimhaRao government advocate of a Ram India. He has served as a National
temple at the Babri
acquired 60.70 acre land site. He witnessed General Secretary of the Bharatiya
surrounding the disputed site of the mosque razing Janata Party, and as a Member of
Decades after the Babri mosque was razed in Ayodhya, most of those who 2.77 acre. and was photographed Parliament in both the Lok Sabha
played in major role in the campaign to build a Ram temple there are still leading The Congress government joyously hugging Uma and the Rajya Sabha. On November
figures in Indian politics. planned to build “a Ram temple, a Bharti. Remains a senior leader of BJP. 30, 1992, he had said ominously:
mosque, amenities for pilgrims, a “Kuchbigadegatabhikuchbanega.” He
library, museum and other suitable Vijayaraje Scindia: was later the Lok Sabha member from
facilities” in Ayodhya. But, the She was an Faizabad (Ayodhya).
Ayodhya Act failed to pave way for uncompromising
a Ram Mandir. The BJP vehemently opponent of the Bal Thackerary
opposed the NarasimhaRao Babri mosque, which The Shiv Sena chief
government’s moves — the was said to be at the was never present
ordinance and also the Ayodhya birthsite of Lord Rama. at the site of the
L.K. Advani: He was after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s party with new leadership emerging Act. The then BJP vice-president SS She later gave up electoral politics. demolition, but his
the face of the assassination. under Narendra Modi. Today, Bhandaricalled it “partisan, petty She died in 2001. organisation had
Ayodhya temple Following this, the BJP shifted to though he is a member of the Lok and perverse”. Muslim bodies played a key role in the
movement. His politics of staunch Hindutva and Sabha, he is part of the nondescript also opposed it. The minority Uma Bhrati: The bringing down of the
‘rathyatra’ from no-holds-barred commitment to the “margdarshakmandal” (group of government of NarasimhaRao firebrand face of the mosque. The Shiv Sena founder had
Somnath to Ayodhya issue of Ram Mandir. It also triggered mentors) of the BJP. But at 92 years of developed cold feet and sought Hindutva movement, praised the demoliton of mosque.
(halted in Bihar) led to a transformation in Advani’s political age, when most of his associates have refuge in the Supreme Court she raised slogans Thackeray died in 2012 aged 86.
widespread riots. He later profile. He was brought in as the passed away, Advani is the only one through a Presidential Reference such as ‘Ram
called the Babri razing a matter of president of the BJP. From then, he who has witnessed the resolution of under Article 143 of the Constitution. namsatya hai, Babri Lalu Yadav
regret. Went on to be deputy prime became the most aggressive voice Ayodhya dispute. Rao passed away in 2004. Masjid dhvasth hai’ as the RJD leader Lalu
minister. Unlike former prime and campaigner from the BJP for the Babri mosque was razed. Later Yadav was the chief
minister AtalBihari Vajpayee, his temple campaign. Though the likes of PV Narasimha Rao: Kalyan Singh: Kalyan became chief minister of Madhya minister of Bihar
closest confidant in politics, Advani Vajpayee and Joshi did play their part, The tenure of the Singh, who was the Pradesh. She quit the BJP and then in 1990 and went
chose to become the hardline face of Advani clearly was leading the pack. ninth prime minister chief minister of returned to the party. down in history
the temple movement. Born in 1927 In 1990, as the temple movement of India, from 1991 Uttar Pradesh for his decisive stand
in the Sindh province of present-day was at its peak, Advani took on the to 1996, witnessed when Babri Masjid Ashok Singhal: The against Advani’s rath
Pakistan, Advani too got associated most controversial and virulent the demolition of in Ayodhya was best known face yatra. He ordered Advani’s arrest from
with the RSS very early in his life, campaign of his political career — Babri Masjid occurred, razed down in 1992. of Vishwa Hindu Bihar’s Samastipur on 23 October.
becoming a pracharak in 1941. After the Ram RathYatra, from Somnath triggering communal rights. It is Singh was appointed Parishad (VHP), which
Partition, he was sent by the Sangh in Gujarat to Ayodhya in Uttar believed that Rao chose not to impose as the Rajasthan Governor in prepared the ground Hashim Ansari
to Rajasthan. His role changed in Pradesh. Present prime minister central rule in Uttar Pradesh, where September 2014. He was also for the pro-temple Ansari was one
the early 1950s as the Bharatiya Narendra Modi was the architect of Ayodhya is located when tensions an accused in Babri demolition movement that helped of the oldest
Jana Sanghwas formed as a political Advani’syatra plans. The procession were escalating. It may be recalled case along with BJP veterans Lal the BJP to grow and grow. He died on litigants in the
offshoot to promote the RSS ideology. though never reached Ayodhya, as it that more more than 25 years Krishna Advani, Uma Bharti and 17th November, 2017. Ramjanmabhoomi-
In 1957, he was moved to Delhi to look was stopped and Advani was arrested ago, the government had brought MurliManohar Joshi. A firebrand Babri title suit. He
after the party’s affairs. In 1980, the by the-then Bihar chief minister Lalu an ordinance for Ram Mandir in Hindutva leader and prominent face Sadhvi Rithambhara: was the only one of
Bharatiya Janata Party was formed. Prasad Yadav’s administration. But Ayodhya. It happened in January 1993, of the Ram mandir movement, his Like Uma Bharti, she the six plaintiffs of
Vajpayee became its first president. the purpose was fulfilled. Advaniwas only a month after the Babri Masjid government was dismissed after was another firebrand the Babri Masjid case fighting for the
The party’s guarded approach established as the hardline face of the was brought down by a massive Babri Masjid demolition. His return face of the Hindutva mosque title on behalf of the Sunni
towards the Ram Janmabhoomi issue Ram temple cause. Two years later, assembly of karsevaks participating to active politics is being seen by movement. She Waqf Board since 1961. He claimed
didn’t pay any significant dividend the Babri Masjid was brought down in a movement led by the Vishva political analysts as yet another push addressed innumerable to have witnessed the placing
in the 1984 general elections that by karsevaks. In recent years, Advani Hindu Parishad on December 6, 1992. by the BJP to Hindutv agenda ahead meetings inciting people of the idol of Ram Lalla inside the
were held amid nationwide outrage found himself slowly sidelined in the Back then, P.V.NarasimhaRao was the of 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly to destroy the Babri mosque. Now mosque in 1949. He died in 2016 at the
polls. immersed in spiritual work. age of 96.
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