Update: The Supreme Court is scheduled to take up on Friday a batch of petitions for hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case. This copy is being republished in view of the latest development.
The Supreme Court is expected to take up a batch of petitions for hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case. Ahead of the 26th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid, Hindu right-wing groups had begun efforts to drum up support for the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya.
The Babri Masjid is believed to have been built in 1528 by Mir Baqi, a commander of the first Mughal emperor Babur. The first case was filed in 1885 by Mahant Raghubir Das, who asked for permission to build a canopy outside the disputed structure.
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The mosque’s gates were locked after an idol of Lord Ram appeared inside the mosque in 1949.
While the Vishwa Hindu Parishad launched a movement for the construction of the temple in 1984, the efforts really gathered steam in the later part of the decade, especially when LK Advani started out on his rath yatra in 1990. The Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992.
Here’s a look at when the dispute began and how the events unfolded:
(With PTI inputs)