Don’t miss the latest developments in business and finance.

image

Ayodhya case

About Ayodhya case

Facebook IconLinkedIN Icon

What is Ayodhya case

The Ayodhya land dispute is a political, historical and socio-religious debate in India that has been on for decades. The dispute is focused on a plot of land in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, which is regarded among the Hindus to be the birthplace of the Hindu deity Ram.
 
According to some beliefs, it was originally the site of a Hindu temple that was demolished to construct a mosque known as Babri Masjid. For their part, Muslims claim that the land was titled to them and Mir Baqi built the mosque on it in 1528 on orders of the first Mughal emperor, Babur.
 
The modification/demolition of the temple has stood as a topic of controversy. By some accounts, some Muslims in 1949 saw an idol of Ram being placed inside what was then a mosque. Both Hindu and Muslim sides claimed ownership of the site and that led to an eventual lockdown of the area by the government.
 
On December 17, 1959, Nirmohi Akhara filed a suit seeking possession of the site and claimed to be the custodians of the disputed land. Following this, the Sunni Central Board of Waqf also filed a suit claiming ownership of the site on December 18, 1961.
 
Later, some Hindu kar sevaks on December 6, 1992, demolished Babri masjid, an action that triggered communal riots all over India, killing at least 2,000 people.
 
Over the years, the matter has been brought up by both groups in various courts of the country.
 
On September 30, 2010, the Allahabad High Court ruled that the disputed 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya should be divided into three parts among the Hindus, Muslims and the Nirmohi Akhara. The petitioners moved the Supreme Court and the apex court stayed the HC verdict.
 
In 2016, the court started a fresh hearing of the case. In 2017, the SC said that the matter was sensitive and suggested for the case to be settled out of court. It asked stakeholders to hold talks and find an amicable solution. However, no solution was achieved. In 2018, the Supreme Court set up a five-judge Constitution Bench to hear the land dispute case.

On November 9, 2019, a Supreme Court Bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi unanimously ruled that the disputed land be given to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas for the construction of a temple, and the Muslim side be compensated with five acres of land at a prominent site in Ayodhya to build a mosque.
.
In February 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in the Lok Sabha that the government had given its approval to the proposal for "Shri Ramjanmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra" trust to take care of the construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya and other related issues.

Six months later, he visited Ayodhya to lay the foundation stone (a 40 kg silver brick) for the construction of the Ram Mandir at the Ram Janmbhoomi site. Despite the shadow of coronavirus pandemic, the event was extravagant, with as many as 175 invitees.

Babri Masjid Demolition: The Most Comprehensive Video Coverage from 1992


 
 
The five-judge Constitution Bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, started day-to-day hearing on the matter from August 6, 2019, and midway through the proceedings, directed the advocates to finish the argument by October 16.
 
The Supreme Court, on October 16, 2019, concluded hearings in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute in Ayodhya and reserved its judgment, which was passed on November 9. The apex court, in a unanimous verdict, gave the ownership of the disputed 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya to the Ram Janmabhoomi trust. It ordered that an alternative piece of land in a "suitable" and "prominent" place in Ayodhya should be given to the Muslims to build a mosque. The Court also asked the government to frame a plan within three months and set up a trust, which would construct a temple in Ayodhya.

Latest Updates on Ayodhya case

The construction of the Ram temple here is likely to be completed months before the deadline, an office bearer of the Sriram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust said on Friday

Updated On: 18 Mar 2023 | 7:29 AM IST

Congress leader Rashid Alvi hit out at the BJP-led Union government over the appointment of Justice (retd.) S Abdul Nazeer as the Andhra Pradesh governor.

Updated On: 13 Feb 2023 | 11:16 AM IST

The Ayodhya Master Plan 2031 proposes six entrances: from Lucknow, Sultanpur, Rae Bareilly, Ambedkar Nagar, Gorakhpur and Gonda to Ayodhya city

Updated On: 29 Nov 2022 | 6:57 AM IST

The Supreme Court on Tuesday closed the contempt proceedings, arising out of the demolition of Babri Masjid at Ayodhya in 1992, against the state of Uttar Pradesh and others

Updated On: 30 Aug 2022 | 4:27 PM IST

The rule of law is a necessary though not a sufficient condition for justice, but our courts are failing to provide even this

Updated On: 03 May 2022 | 11:08 PM IST

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge sought to raise in Rajya Sabha the issue of reported purchase of land in Ayodhya by politicians and officials following the Supreme Court judgement on Ram temple

Updated On: 22 Dec 2021 | 5:05 PM IST

Varanasi court order on Gyanvapi mosque questions the optimism that Ayodhya wouldn't be repeated. Spending too much time looking at the past is a recipe for disaster

Updated On: 10 Apr 2021 | 9:04 AM IST

Here's a selection of Business Standard opinion pieces for the day

Updated On: 10 Apr 2021 | 6:19 AM IST

The General-Secretary of Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Champat Rai on Sunday said that the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is likely to be ready in three years time.

Updated On: 08 Mar 2021 | 8:36 AM IST

The Allahabad High Court on Monday dismissed a petition filed against the allotment of land in Ayodhya's Dhannipur village for the construction of a mosque

Updated On: 08 Feb 2021 | 2:59 PM IST

The Allahabad High Court adjourned for two weeks hearing on a plea against acquittal of all 32 accused, including BJP veterans LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, in the Babri mosque demolition case

Updated On: 13 Jan 2021 | 12:22 PM IST

The construction of the Ram Temple complex in Ayodhya, including the main structure, is estimated to cost around Rs 1,100 crore

Updated On: 28 Dec 2020 | 7:54 PM IST

The blueprint of the mosque to replace the Babri Masjid will be unveiled this Saturday and its foundation will be laid on Republic Day, members of the Trust formed for its construction said

Updated On: 17 Dec 2020 | 1:01 PM IST

The Ram Mandir construction committee is working on finalising the foundation laying plan for the upcoming temple in consultation with building experts, a key member of a trust said

Updated On: 08 Dec 2020 | 7:30 AM IST

Bhagwat mentioned that the use of CAA, opportunists unleashed organised violence within the title of protests

Updated On: 25 Oct 2020 | 9:54 AM IST

The verdict by a special court in the Babri Masjid demolition case comes a year after Supreme Court settled the land case in favour of a Ram temple

Updated On: 30 Sep 2020 | 1:52 PM IST

The Delhi Police Wednesday said they will keep a strict vigil in the national capital in view of the judgement in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case which is slated to be announced during the day.

Updated On: 30 Sep 2020 | 12:24 PM IST

Majority of the accused leaders in the demolition case have already pleaded innocence and blamed the then Congress government for falsely implicating them

Updated On: 30 Sep 2020 | 10:11 AM IST

The 1992 Babri Masjid demolition had cost around 3,000 lives and changed the country's political landscape. Stay tuned for Babri Masjid demolition verdict LIVE updates

Updated On: 30 Sep 2020 | 1:24 PM IST

Ironically, though the political career of the three charged with conspiracy, rested on the destruction of the Babri Masjid, all three are in the twilight of their political innings

Updated On: 29 Sep 2020 | 10:00 AM IST