Babri Masjid Demolition Case: All 32 Including LK Advani, Uma Bharti, MM Joshi Acquitted

UPDATE: A special court in Uttar Pradesh today delivered the verdict in Babri Masjid demolition case. The court acquitted all the 32 named in the case including BJP Leaders LK Advani, Uma Bharti, Kalyan Singh and Murli Manohar Joshi.

The verdict was pronounced today nearly three decades after the structure was razed down by a mob in Uttar Pradesh¡¯s Ayodhya town, sparking communal riots.

The court also observed that leaders including LK Advani and MM Joshi tried to stop the mob and that the incident was not pre-planned.

The Supreme Court of India today delivered the historic and unanimous verdict in the Ramjanmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case, one of the oldest running cases in the history of India, pronouncing that the disputed land would be given to the Hindu parties. It also ordered alternate land, measuring five acre, for the Sunni Muslim Waqf Board.

A five-judge Constitutional bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, and also comprising Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer delivered the verdict.

A Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, has been a poll promise of the ruling BJP since its inception and its party leader LK Advani, who celebrated his 92nd birthday on November 8, spearheaded the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in the late 1980s.

Here¡¯s a look at how the entire dispute has unfolded over the past few decades:

1 - The Babri Masjid was built in Ayodhya in 1528 by Mughal emperor Babur's commander Mir Baqi.

In 1885, Mahant Raghubir Das files a plea in the Faizabad district court, seeking to build a temple on land next to the mosque. His plea was rejected. Hindu groups claimed it was built after demolishing a temple. In 1853, the first recorded communal clashes over the site took place. The British administration, in 1859, marking separate areas of worship for Hindus and Muslims, and it stood that way for nearly 90 years.

AFP/File Photo

2 - In 1949, idols of Lord Ram was placed inside the mosque. Hindus called it divine appearance and started offering prayers. The property dispute went to court for the first time the same year.

3 - In 1984, Hindu groups formed a committee to head the construction of a Ram temple. Three years later, gates of the Babri Masjid were opened after almost five decades and Hindus were allowed to worship inside the "disputed structure" following an order by a district court.

4 - In 1990, BJP stalwart and president LK Advani out a cross-country Rath Yatra to garner support to build a Ram temple at the site. The VHP workers partially damaged Babri Masjid.

Kar Sevaks gather on the non-disputed land in front of Babri Masjid, hours before it was demolished/BCCL

5 - On December 6, 1992, the mosque was demolished by Hindu activists. Intense communal riots followed across India. Ten days after the destruction, the Liberhan Commission was formed to investigation the incident. The Commission submitted its report on June 2009 - naming LK Advani, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and other BJP leaders - almost 17 years after it began its inquiry.

6 - In September 2003, some prominent BJP leaders and other leaders should stand trial for inciting the destruction of the Babri Mosque. However, no charges were framed against Advani who was the deputy prime minister then.

7 - The case against the BJP leaders, including Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti as well, is being heard by a trial court in Lucknow.

8 - In April 2002, a 3-judge Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court began hearings on determining who owned the site. The Allahabad High Court, in September 2010, pronounced the verdict.

AP

The verdict said the site of Babri mosque is to be divided into three parts, each going to Nirmohi Akhara, Ram Lalla and the Sunni Central Waqf Board of Uttar Pradesh.

Just in a few months, the various groups staking claim moved Supreme Court challenging the High Court verdict.

9 - The Supreme Court, in September 2011, stayed the Allahabad High Court order.

10 - A Supreme Court-appointed three-member team failed to find an amicable solution to the dispute earlier this year. A five-judge constitution bench began day-to-day hearings on August 6.

On October 16, daily hearings at the Supreme Court came to an end after 40 days. The verdict was reserved and set to be pronounced before November 17. Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, who is leading the five-judge constitution bench hearing the case, is slated to retire the same day.