Sequence of Events

CHAPTER 4 SEQUENCE OF EVENTS 17.1 The conduct and culpability of the protagonists and 21. The events from 1949 onwards he architects of the events of the 6th of December 1992 21.1 After the partition of the country in 1947, Mahatma must be understood and analysed not only from the actual Gandhi was assassinated on the 31st of January 1948 [The events themselves but also from their conduct, speeches and correct date is 30th January – CC]. Subsequently and as a acts of commission as well as acts of omission over a period consequence, members of the RSS were arrested and the or- of time. … ganisation was banned up till 1949. … 21.3 No noticeable event took place between 1947 and 18. Background the 23rd of December 1949. On that date idols of Ramchandraji 18.5 For centuries this was a local religious issue con- (Ram Lalla) with the inscription, ‘Shri Ram’, were installed in fined only to Ayodhya, at the most to the Faizabad division. the Garbh Griha. As a consequence, an FIR was registered It was to later transform into not only a national political against Abhay Ram, Sideshwar Rao, Shiv Charan Das and 60 issue but also an internationally communal issue which was others… to shape the contours of the democracy of India. 21.5 The central government as well as the state govern- 18.6 In the year 1528 the ment had taken exception Mughal emperor, Babar, or- to the installing of the dered his commander, Mir Baqi, idols. Inquiries were made to erect a mosque at Ayodhya. from the then district mag- Protagonists of the present istrate and deputy inspec- movement claimed that after tor-general [DIG] about demolishing the temple at the their conduct, as to why birthplace of Ram, Mir Baqi they were not able to pre- constructed the mosque i.e. vent the crowd effectively the “disputed structure”. when it was not so large. … 18.7 The British rulers of the 21.7 District Magistrate time later divided the area into KK Nayyar stated inter alia two parts, one comprising of that there was no forewarn- the structure described by the ing through any intelli- VHP as the “Babri structure” gence channel… and the other comprising of 21.11 Post-1949, inter- the “Ram Chabutra” and “Sita estingly enough, the dis- Ki Rasoi”, with a courtyard trict magistrate and his wife where Hindus used to perform and even his employee con- puja. The structure stood di- tested elections on the vided into inner and outer ticket of Hindu organisa- courtyards by a railing… tions. 18.8 Worship of idols in- 21.12 The stance stalled on the Ram Chabutra adopted at the time, apart by Hindu devotees in general from the refusal to remove was performed for a consid- the idols, would constitute erable period. There were no a clear signal that a war had objections from the Muslims started brewing in the staking the counterclaim minds of the people and prior to the shifting of idols diagonally opposite views into the disputed structure had started to be formed on in 1949. … whether the disputed struc- COMMUNALISM COMBAT 5 DECEMBER 2009 REPORT OF THE LIBERHAN AYODHYA COMMISSION OF INQUIRY ture was a mosque or a temple. The seeds of future discord 24.10 The movement for the opening of locks by the VHP were sown by the district magistrate. … and the Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Yagna Samiti continued 21.18 From 1949 to 1961 the only claimants were the until February 1985… pujaris or local sants who were litigating in the civil courts… 24.12 [T]he RSS, VHP and other Hindu organisations and 21.21 There was neither any agitation nor movement nor believers in Hinduism were requested to support the move- any coherent demand projected up till 1975… ment as… it could not succeed without the support of a 21.22 No party or organisation or association other than party at the national level… individuals like Paramhans Ramchandra Das or his akhada [order] or the Wakf Board ever approached the court or be- 25. Opening of the locks at Ayodhya came a party to the litigations either to defend or to pros- 25.1 In January 1986 the campaign for opening of the ecute the same. It is thus abundantly clear, uncontroverted locks formally started… and clearly established that the dispute, if at all there was 25.2 [O]n the 1st of February 1986… the district judge any, remained confined to Ayodhya or the local vicinity… directed the opening of the locks… The reason for such an order passed by the district judge, as given in his autobiog- 22. Emergence of the sangh parivar raphy, makes interesting reading. 22.1 The VHP was constituted in 1964 with the object of 25.3 It narrates the visit of a monkey to his home, then consolidating and strengthening Hindu society… to his courtroom and then back to his house before, during 22.2 [It] jumped on the Ayodhya bandwagon sometime and after the pronouncement of his judgement. The monkey, in 1980. After the 1980s, calls for various andolans, kar sevas, he said, did no harm. He made an attempt to convey that were made… the monkey inspired or directed him to pass a judicial order 22.3 The RSS and its leadership supported the claim for in an appeal against the order declining the preponement of demolition of the disputed structure and the reconstruction the date by the subordinate judicial officer, that too on an of a temple at Ayodhya issue application made by a non- from the very beginning, di- party to the suit. rectly or indirectly… The BJP In conformity with the army-like discipline of joined the bandwagon by organisations like the RSS, the manner in 26. Protests after the passing a resolution at which the arrangements and mobilisation was opening of the locks Palampur in 1989 to support carried out does not corroborate the theory 26.1 The Muslims’ All-In- the construction of a temple dia Babri Masjid Action at the disputed structure... that the convergence or the mobilisation of Committee was constituted such a large number of kar sevaks was for on the 15th of February 23. The 1960s and later symbolic kar seva alone 1986. The opening of the events locks was challenged in 23.1 In 1967, with the sup- public meetings and a port and participation of the Jan Sangh, a non-Congress “black day” against the opening of the locks was observed government was formed in Uttar Pradesh. No dispute was on 12th May, 1986 as a protest. Various Muslim organisa- raised with respect to the disputed structure... tions like the Babri Masjid Movement [Coordination Com- mittee], Central Action Committee for Restoration of Babri 24. Ayodhya turns into an “issue”; creation of special- Masjid and various other committees or their affiliates were ised organisations floated… 24.1 The VHP took charge over the management of the 26.4 Muslims variously protested between the 1st of Janu- dispute and the cause of “liberation” of the alleged temple ary to the 30th of March 1987. Apart from giving calls for at Ayodhya in November-December 1983… boycotting Republic Day (which call was later withdrawn), 24.4 In April 1984 the VHP constituted a Dharam Sansad bandhs were observed and a public rally held at the Boat as the frontal face for the movement. Though devoid of any Club in Delhi. Public threats of violence were made by per- legal status, the Dharam Sansad was, for reasons of expedi- sonalities no less than the shahi imam of the Jama Masjid, ency and need, put at the forefront of the movement with Shahabuddin and Sulaiman Sait, etc. respect to the disputed structure… Similarly, a Kendriya Marg 26.5 Protagonists on either side of the dispute mobilised Darshak Mandal too was constituted as one of the bodies of the people, held meetings, gave calls for bandhs, etc, the VHP, again with no legal status. throughout 1987. They gave emotional and provocative 24.5 Another organisational unit [of the VHP] named the speeches and made appeals for their respective claims… Bajrang Dal was constituted… on the 7th of October 1984… 26.8 The Dharam Sansad, in January 1988, at Kumbh at 24.6 The Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Yagna Samiti or Dharam Prayag, declared the details of the programme for shila pujan Sthan Mukti Yagna Samiti was formed… in June 1984… with effect from the 9th of October 1989. 24.7 A Ram-Janaki rath yatra was taken out from Delhi via 26.9 Protagonists of the Masjid group decided to oppose Prayag on the 16th of October 1984, reaching Chitrakoot on the it by taking out a long march while the sants decided to 22nd of October 1984… Vociferous demands for the “liberation” oppose it in their meeting held at Hardwar. … of the disputed structure and opening of its locks were made… 26.11 The UP government, on the 15th of December 1987, COMMUNALISM COMBAT 6 DECEMBER 2009 SEQUENCE OF EVENTS made an application to the [Allahabad] high court request- 27.23 General elections to the Lok Sabha were announced ing it to withdraw all pending suits from the subordinate on the 16th of October 1989. VHP representatives informed courts to the high court for trial and disposal. … the home minister on the 17th of October that the shilanyas 26.14 A meeting to review the situation and in order to programme would not be postponed. find a solution and in order to defuse the tension was held 27.24 During the general elections of 1989 the issue by the home minister of India… The leaders of both sides was brought to the centre stage of national politics by asserted that there was neither any question of negotiation the BJP and RSS.

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