AYODHYA DISPUTE

AYODHYA DISPUTE

Context:   Ahead of the crucial Supreme Court verdict in the Ayodhya dispute case, political leaders cutting across party lines have appealed for maintaining harmony. Security measures have been stepped up in many districts including Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

 WHAT IS AYODHYA DISPUTE ?

1. It boils down to a plot of land in the city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.
2. The site that is regarded among Hindus as the birthplace of Lord Rama also historically locates Babri Mosque.
3. According to the Hindus, the land on which the Babri mosque was built in 1528 is the ‘Ram Janmabhoomi’ (birthplace of the god-king Rama).
4. But, Mir Baqi, one of Mughal king Babur’s generals, is said to have destroyed a pre-existing temple of Rama and built a mosque called Babri Masjid (Babur’s mosque) at the site.
5. The Babri Masjid wasdestroyed during a political rally which turned into a riot on 6 December 1992.
6. A subsequent land title case was lodged in theAllahabad High Court, the verdict of which was pronounced on 30 September 2010.
7. In the judgment, the three judges of the Allahabad High Court ruled that the 2.77 acres (1.12 ha) of Ayodhya land be divided into three parts, with ¹⁄₃going to the Ram Lalla or Infant Rama represented by the Hindu Maha Sabah, ¹⁄₃ going to the Sunni Waqf  Board and the remaining ¹⁄₃ going to Nirmohi Akhara.
8. The judgment affirmed that the disputed land was the birthplace of Rama as per the faith and belief of Hindus, and that the Babri Masjid was built after the demolition of a Hindu temple

But both the parties appealed in the Supreme Court against the verdict.

Way forward:

• It’s important that we uphold the unity and integrity of this country above religious sentiments.
• We need to accept the judgment, whatever it may be and uphold the rule of law.
• Religious sentiments of both the parties’ needs to be respected and the issue should not be politicized further.
• It’s important the dispute is settled in an unbiased manner by rendering complete justice not just in the civil case but also for the criminal act of demolition.

 Question:    “The Ayodhya dispute is proving to be a litmus test for country’s secular   fabric and its constitutional ethos”, in the light of the above statement bring out the significance of Ayodhya case for India.