A name that is much debatable in history, a name that shaped an entire era of politics, a name that was considered a myth, a name that fought for its existence in the Supreme Court of India, a name that no Congress man took (except for political purpose), a name that every BJP man took (for political desire), a name that every RSS and VHP supporter took but out of faith, yes that name was Ram. Lord Ram, born in Ayodhya to king Dasharath on a navami tithi of chaitra maasa. Some scientists predict the date as 10th January, 5114 BCE whereas some suggest the date as 29th November, 12240 BCE. Both the dates are debatable but that does not gives anyone the liberty to question on the existence of Ram (specially those who think that the Earth was created on 24th February, 4004 BCE or those who think that it took place 1500 years ago from today). Ram exists in the heart and soul of every Hindu. A question on Ram, is a question on religion. And then when Ram himself has to appear in Supreme Court to prove his existence just because of an invasion by a fanatic then the entire Hindu community has their sentiments hurt.
Digging the roots, we find that the Gupta Age which is also considered as the golden age of India; it was during this period that the city of Ayodhya was refurbished by king Vikramaditya (Chandragupta II). It was he who had built the Ram Mandir at the Ramkot which was destroyed by Mir Baqi, a commander of Babur’s army, to build a Mosque over it. The mosque stood there for a period of near about 464 years before it was razed by a violent mob.
Looking back at the history of Ram janmabhoomi struggle the first case related to this was filed in January 1885 in the court of Faizabad by Mahant Raghubir Das. The mahant had requested permission to build a temple on the chabutara (a raised platform) outside the Babri Masjid but his plea was rejected. Again, in 1949, the dispute came up when an idol of Ram lalla appeared at the exactly proclaimed birthplace on the intervening night of 22nd and 23rd December, 1949. To keep the situation under control, the administration declared the area as disputed area and locked the gates of the structure. This lead to Gopal Singh Visharad filing a case at the Faizabad civil court on 16 January 1950, seeking exclusive rights for performing puja at the place of worship and a permanent injunction prohibiting the removal of the Ram lalla idols from the janmasthan. The court issued a temporary injunction.
On 18 December 1961, the UP Sunni waqf board entered the fray along with nine Muslim residents of Ayodhya just days ahead of the expiry of the 12-year limitation period after which it would have lost its claim to the site. It claimed the mosque and the adjoining land, and demanded the removal of the idols.
On 1 February 1986, the district judge directed that the locks of the structure be unlocked for Hindu worshippers. In the same year, Muslims set up Babri Masjid Action Committee to protest against the decision. Devki Nandan Agarwal, a retired judge, filed a case on 1 July 1989 at the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court in the name of Bhagwan Ram Lalla Virajman (Ram lalla). Agarwal, making a reference to the 1928 edition of the Gazette of H R Nevill, the District Gazetteer of Faizabad claimed that Babur had destroyed the temple in 1528 and built a mosque in its place. On 14 August 1989, the Allahabad High Court ordered the maintenance of status quo at the disputed site. The same year, Congress government at the Centre, led by Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, gave permission the VHP to perform shilanyas ceremony and bhoomipoojan, in which the first stone of the proposed Ram Mandir was put in place.
The Babri Masjid was razed on 6th of December 1992. The Kalyan Singh government was dismissed and President’s rule was imposed on UP along with three other BJP ruled states. P. V. Narasimha Rao, the then PM passed a resolution and act known as ‘Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Act’ on 3 April 1993 to acquire all the disputed areas (67.7 acres) under suits pending in the Allahabad High Court.
A three judge bench of Allahabad high court began the hearing of case in April 2002 to determine who the site actually belongs to. The ASI was asked to excavate and find if a temple existed before the masjid was built, at the area claimed by Hindus. The ASI report on the excavation confirmed that there existed a grand Vaishnava temple below the masjid. These findings by ASI were rejected by the Muslim parties.
The Allahabad High Court, in its judgement on 30th September 2010, divided the disputed land into three parts ? one-third went to the Sunni Waqf Board, one-third went to the Nirmohi Akhara and one-third to the party for ‘Ram Lalla Virajman’. In 2010 the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha and the Sunni waqf Board challenged the High Court’s decision in the supreme court.
Supreme Court, in May of 2011, stayed the High Court order to divide the land equally in three parts, stating that the status quo be maintained. Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Subramanian Swamy files plea in the Supreme Court on 26 February 2016 seeking construction of Ram Temple at the disputed site by stating his fundamental right to worship. It was after his petition that the court took up this matter for hearing.
CJI Gogoi constituted a five-judge constitution bench to hear the appeals. The Supreme Court appointed a mediation panel to resolve the issue outside the court. After mediation proceedings failed, the court began daily hearings in the case from 6th August, 2019. The Supreme Court gave its verdict in the Ramjanmabhoomi case on 19th of November. The land was allotted to Hindus for the construction of the temple. Muslims were allotted a separate five-acre site at a prominent location in Ayodhya for the construction of a mosque.
On 5th of August, 2020 the shilanyas took place. PM Narendra Modi was the yajmana of the bhoomipoojan. The entire Ayodhya was decorated and earthen lamps were lighted outside the houses of people. Many people raised the question that was it necessary to make this bhoomipoojan a national celebration. The answer to their question is yes because Ram lives in the heart and soul of every Hindu. Over the period of time, the so called seculars and the liberals have defined a good Hindu as a person who apologizes for being a Hindu, who come up with banners of ‘I am ashamed to be a Hindu’ on every occasion, who doesn’t wastes water on Holi, doesn’t burns crackers on Diwali, doesn’t go to any temple, must go to mosque and church, must celebrate Christmas and Eid, must abuse their God and must not say ‘Jay Shree Ram’, ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jay’. India owe to such people who question Ram. The 5th August function became a national celebration on its own since it was associated with Ram, that Ram who lives in the soil of Bharat, Ram lives in the soul of every living being, that Ram who taught us that we are all equal, that Ram who ate the defiled food of Shabri, that Ram who left his kingdom to fulfill the vows of his father, that Ram who constructed a bridge up to Sri Lanka to rescue his wife, that Ram who took blessings and knowledge from Ravan when he was dying and that Ram who without any wants gave the entire property of Lanka to Vibhishan. There will always be people in this country who love Ram forever, no matter even if people tag them as communal for worshipping him.
By Kirti Kashyap ‘Taijas’
Literary sources: TV9bharatvarsh, NBTbharattimes, IndiaToday
Image sources: Times of India, India Legal Live