With the Supreme Court verdict, the Ayodhya temple issue has once again come to the fore. Some milestones associated with the demolition of Babri Masjid:
Gates unlocked
The dispute first hogged the limelight in 1985 when then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi opened the gates to the disputed site and permitted sadhus to worship there. This move emboldened the spirits of the Hindu community, who subsequently resorted to agitations to build the temple at the site.
Advani arrested
The senior BJP leader L.K.Advani, in order to mould public opinion in the favour of building the temple, had taken out a Rath Yatra from Somnath to Ayodhya. But when the chariot reached Samastipur (Bihar) in 1990, the then chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav had Advani arrested. Riots broke out at many places his Rath Yatra passed through. Arrest of Advani fanned Hindu sentiments in favour of temple. The BJP then toppled the V.P.Singh government at the centre by withdrawing support.
Mulayam orders firing
Subsequently, kar sevaks started thronging Ayodhya. In 1990, the crowd started swelling there. On October 30, 1990, the then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav, ordered firing on kar sevaks, killing 16 people. This incident acted as a catalyst to unite Hindus all over the country. The assembly polls were held in 1991. BJP under Kalyan Singh came to the power in UP, which further aggaravated the communal divide.
Secret meeting
Since the beginning of 1992, movement of kar sevaks had increased in Ayodhya. On December 6, 1992, lakhs of kar sevaks, who had assembled at Ayodhya, pulled down the mosque. The incident shook the entire nation, following which communal riots broke out at many places. It was alleged that the demolition was planned at Vinay Katiyar’s (Bajrang Dal) Ayodhya house, in a secret meeting held on December 5, in which prominent BJP and VHP leaders were present.
Kalyan Singh quits
Following the incident, then chief minister Kalyan Singh resigned, but the union government came out of its slumber and immediately suspended Kalyan Singh government. The central government also suspended the BJP governments which were in power in three other states. This was done, apparently to placate the minority community. Four years after this, Lok Sabha polls were held. The BJP, riding on the temple wave, emerged as the largest party in the country.
