Ayodhya temple: Key dates

1885 Jan 15: In 1st court case, Nirmohi Akhara mahant Raghubar Das seeks permission to construct a ‘mandap’ atop the platform in front of the mosque allegedly built at the birth place of Lord Ram in Ramkot by Mughal emperor Babur in 1528 Feb 24: Court of sub-judge Harikishan junks it1886Mar 17: Raghubar Das challenges the decision in district court, which says it’s too late to amend a ‘mistake committed over 350 years ago’ Nov 1: Raghubar Das appeals to the top court of the province, which dismisses it1949Dec 22-23: Idol of Ram Lalla appears inside the mosque after a Ramayan paath by Goraksha Peeth chief Mahant Digvijay Nath; Muslim side claims that the idol was kept by Hindu leaders; Hashim Ansari files plea from Muslim side 1950Jan 6: Gopal Singh Visharad of Hindu Mahasabha and Mahant Paramhans Ramchandradas of Digambar Akhara move Faizabad court seeking right to worship Jan 19: Civil judge restrains Muslim side through temporary injunction from removing the idol1951March 3: The court passes interim order allowing puja and asks the Muslim parties not to interfere1955Apr 26: Allahabad HC endorses the order of March 3, 19511959Dec 17: Nirmohi Akhara files the third suit in the matter claiming to be the custodian of Ram Janmasthan1961Dec 18: A fourth suit filed by Sunni Central Waqf Board, staking claim to not only the mosque property but also the adjacent land; 6 Muslim plaintiffs, including Ansari, are party to the plea1964Aug 29: VHP formed in presence of then RSS chief MS Golwalkar and Akali Dal chief Master Tara Singh1984Apr 7-8: Dharm Sansad in Delhi raises Ram Janmabhoomi ‘liberation’1984June 18: Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Yagya Samiti formed with Mahant Avaidyanath as chairman and Mahant Nritya Gopal Das as vice-chairman 1985Sept 18: ‘Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas’ formed under Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Shiv Ramacharya; Ashok Singhal, then VHP gen secy, appointed convener and Vishnu Hari Dalmiya treasurer1986Feb 1: On a plea filed by Faizabad lawyer Umesh Chandra Pandey, district judge KM Pandey orders opening of disputed site’s locks for Hindu worshippers; allows puja inside Feb 3: Hashim Ansari moves Lucknow bench of HC against the order Feb 6: Babri Masjid Action Committee (BMAC) formed1989Feb 1: At Prayagraj Dharm Sansad, VHP fixes Nov 10 as the date for temple foundation June 8-9: At its Palampur convention, BJP, for the first time, announces to join Ram temple movement, saying it is a ‘matter of faith and courts can’t decide it’ Oct-Nov: Over 3 lakh Ramshilas reach Ayodhya for Nov 10 ‘shilanyas’1990June: VHP fixes Oct 30 as the date to start the temple construction July-Oct: VP Singh govt begins efforts for negotiations Sept 25: Then BJP chief LK Advani starts rath yatra from Somnath; It was to reach Ayodhya by Oct 30 Oct 19: Centre passes an ordinance to acquire the disputed land and hand it over to RJB Nyas, but takes it back within three days Oct 23: Then Bihar CM Lalu Prasad stops Advani’s rath and arrests him in Samastipur Oct 30-Nov 2: Lakhs of kar sevaks reach Ayodhya to start temple construction, partially damage mosque; Then UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav orders police firing to control mob; 17 kar sevaks killed Nov 7: VP Singh govt falls after BJP withdraws support and Chandrashekhar becomes PM 1991May: Rajiv Gandhi assassinated in middle of general elections. Cong wins the poll, Narsimha Rao becomes the PM; In UP, BJP comes to power, Kalyan Singh appointed CM Sept 18: Narsimha Rao govt passes Places of Worship Act, which says that a mosque, temple, church or any place of public worship in existence on August 15 1947, will retain the same religious character that it had on that day Oct: Kalyan Singh govt acquires 2.77 acre land around the disputed site Oct 25: HC allows UP govt to take control of acquired land but stops it from raising any structure on it Nov 2: Kalyan Singh gives assurance at the National Integration Council that the ‘structure’ will be protected



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