Demolition of Babri Masjid

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Demolition of Babri Masjid

On December 6, 1992, Hindu Karsevaks destroyed the 16th-century Babri mosque inAyodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, in an attempt to reclaim the land known as Ram Janmabhoomi. The demolition occurred after a religious ceremony turned violent and resulted in several months of intercommunal rioting between India's Hindu and Muslimcommunities, causing the death of at least 2,000 people most of whom were Muslims.[1]

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Background

The city of Ayodhya is regarded by Hindus to be the birthplace of the God-king Rama and is regarded as one of India's most sacred and religious sites.[2] In 1528, after the Mughal invasion, a mosque was built by Mughal general Mir Banki, who reportedly destroyed a pre-existing temple of Rama at the site, and named it after emperor Babur.[3] For several years, the site was used for religious purposes by both Hindus and Muslims.[4] After independence, several title suits were filed by opposing religious groups claiming possession of the site.[5]

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) used the Ayodhya debate as a major campaign issue in the 1989 elections.[6] In September 1990, BJP leader L. K. Advani started Rath Yatra, a tour of the country to educate the masses about the Ayodhya struggle.

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Demolition

On 6 December 1992, the BJP and other supporting organizations organized a religious ceremony to symbolically start the building of a temple at the sacred site. About 150,000 karsevaks had assembled to witness the ceremonies, including speeches by BJP leaders L. K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi.[7]

On that Sunday morning, LK Advani and others met at Vinay Katiyar's residence. They then proceeded to the disputed structure, the report says. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Katiyar reached the puja platform where symbolic Kar Seva was to be performed, and Advani and Joshi checked...