8 months ago
Book Examines Past Governments' Handling of Ram Temple Demand
A new book by Ram Bahadur Rai talks about how different Indian governments in the past tried to solve the problem of building a Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The dispute is about a piece of land where both Hindus and Muslims have claims.
The book explains how leaders like Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and others tried to find a solution.
They had meetings, made plans, and even asked the courts for help.
The book also talks about how the VHP, a Hindu organization, wanted to build the temple, and how the government tried to balance the demands of different groups.
The courts also did studies and gave their opinions, but the problem was not fully solved until recently.
The book shows how complicated and sensitive this issue has been for India.
A new book by Ram Bahadur Rai examines how past Indian governments handled the demand for a Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya.
Key figures like Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Govindacharya were involved in negotiations and proposals to resolve the dispute.
The VHP's karseva programme and the Mandal Commission report were significant events in the timeline of the dispute.
The Archaeological Survey of India and the Allahabad High Court played crucial roles in investigating the site and providing evidence.
The Allahabad High Court's 2010 judgment divided the disputed land among Ram Lalla, Nirmohi Akhara, and the Sunni Waqf Board, but this was later overturned by the Supreme Court in 2019.
- Who
- Past Indian governments, political leaders, and organizations like the VHP and BJP
- What
- Efforts to resolve the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute and the demand for a Ram temple
- Where
- Primarily in Ayodhya, with discussions and decisions made in Delhi and other parts of India
- When
- From 1989 to 2019, with key events in 1990, 1992, 1993, 2003, 2010, and 2019
- Why
- To address the contentious issue of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site and the demand for a Ram temple, involving political, legal, and communal considerations
Key facts
- Author
- Ram Bahadur Rai
- Key Figures
- Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Govindacharya, S Gurumurthy, Subodh Kant Sahay, Narasimha Rao, Vajpayee
- Key Events
- Mandal Commission report, VHP's karseva programme, Bilateral talks, Supreme Court's counsel, Allahabad High Court's judgment
- Key Organizations
- VHP, BJP, Congress, Sangh Parivar, Archaeological Survey of India
- Key Locations
- Ayodhya, Mathura, Kashi, Delhi
- Key Dates
- 1989, 1990, 1992, 1993, 2003, 2010, 2019
- Key Legal Actions
- Ordinance, Supreme Court's counsel, Allahabad High Court's judgment
- Key Scientific Findings
- Radar photography, Excavation report, Presence of a Hindu temple
Quotes
Ram Bahadur Rai
Senior journalist
“Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh could understand the politics of the Sangh Parivar and the BJP on the Ayodhya issue, and that is why he pulled out a trump card. Devi Lal was applying pressure from the other side. In such a scenario, on August 7, 1990, Singh announced the implementation of the Mandal Commission report, and he did not find it necessary to consult the coalition partners, the BJP and the Left parties.”
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Govindacharya
Chief secretary of the BJP
“The temple issue had almost reached the resolution stage during the VP Singh government. The prime minister had proposed that political parties should keep themselves away from this issue and that attempts should be made to find a solution to this matter through non-political people from both communities. The proposal suggested handing the disputed site and place to a new Hindu Trust, requiring it to build a temple without touching the disputed site, and to build a wall between the temple and the disputed site. Singh had given this responsibility to the then-governor of Andhra Pradesh, Krishan Kant, and he was told to garner support for the matter. Krishan Kant proposed that they make Jayendra Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, the head of the new Trust. Krishan Kant also had arranged for a meeting between the main petitioner, Ali Miyan, and Jayendra Saraswati. Moreover, he also had deliberations with Vishwesha Tirtha Swami.”
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A senior Sangh leader
Senior leader of the Sangh
“The President’s question is the central point of the entire controversy. This is the only way the ownership of the disputed site can be decided.”
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