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1528
Creation of Babri Masjid
The Babri Masjid, a mosque in Ayodhya, is constructed by Mir Baki on the orders of Mughal emperor Babar. According to the Hindu community, it is built on the foundations of a temple which marked the birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. This contention lingered on for several years. -
Period: 1528 to
Conflict over Babri Masjid
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Appearance of Lord Ram idol
Towards the end of December 1949, idols of Lord Ram appeared inside the mosque, allegedly put there by Hindus. It led to widespread protests and both communities filed cases, Hashim Ansari for Muslims and Mahant Paramhans Ramchandra Das for Hindus. The government declared the site as disputed and locked the gates to it. -
Lawsuit is filed
Mahant Paramhans Ramchandra Das, the chief of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, and Gopal Singh Visharad file suits in Faizabad, seeking permission to pray before the installed idols. The puja was allowed though the inner courtyard gates remain locked. -
Counter lawsuit filed by Sunni Central Board of Waqf
Sunni Central Board of Waqfs in Uttar Pradesh files a case claiming the mosque, and argues that the surrounding area was a graveyard. -
LK Advani heads a campaign
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad constitutes a group to continue the movement as BJP leader L K Advani is made the leader of the campaign. -
Faizabad district judge orders the gates of the structure be opened for Hindus to offer prayers
Faizabad district judge orders the gates of the structure be opened for Hindus to offer prayers. Babri Masjid Action Committee is formed soon after this. -
Advani is arrested
Advani’s rath is stopped and he is arrested in Samastipur, Bihar. Dissatisfied with the development, the BJP withdraws its support to the VP Singh government, triggering fresh elections. The saffron party makes giant strides in the assembly elections by winning a majority. -
Advani launches a Rath Yatra
Advani launches a rath yatra (pilgrimage procession) from Somnath to Ayodhya to galvanise support for the issue countrywide. -
Babri Masjid demolished
The disputed structure was brought down by kar sevaks and a makeshift temple was placed in its place. The PV Narasimha Rao-led Congress government then moved court for status quo. -
Conspiracy charges dropped
Special Judge SK Shukla drops conspiracy charge against 13 accused, including Advani and Kalyan Singh. Bifurcates Crimes 197 and 198.Allahabad HC upholds May 4, 2001 special court order, dismisses the CBI’s revision petition for a direction to proceed with the conspiracy charge against Advani and others. -
Order of Allahabad High Court
The Allahabad High Court orders the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) to excavate the disputed site in order to determine whether a temple existed where the mosque stood. -
ASI submits its report to Allahabad High Courty
ASI submits its report to the Allahabad High Court, saying it had found features of a 10th century temple beneath the site of the masjid. -
Liberhan Committee submits it's report
The Liberhan Commission, constituted soon after the Babri Masjid demolition by the P.V. Narasimha Rao-led government, submits its report. In its report, retired High Court Judge MS Liberhan concluded that several BJP leaders had a role in the incident. -
Distribution of the land
The Allahabad High Court distributes the 2.77 acres of the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi site into three parts, giving each to Nirmohi Akhara sect, the Sunni Central Wakf Board, UP, and Ramlalla Virajman. -
Supreme Court stays Allahabad High Court verdict
Supreme Court stays Allahabad High Court verdict on Ayodhya dispute. -
JS khehar advises peace negotiations
Suggesting an out-of-court rapprochement among rival parties in the 68-year-old Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute, Chief Justice of India JS Khehar advises peace negotiations instead of a pitched court battle, even offering help to settle the fight amicably. -
Senior BJP leaders charged with criminal conspiracy
Senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti and Vinay Katiyar charged with criminal conspiracy in the Babri Masjid demolition case. -
Supreme Court orders to start fresh hearing from October 29
By a majority 2-1 judgment, the Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a plea to refer to a constitution bench the issue of reconsideration of the observations in its 1994 judgment that a mosque was not integral to Islam, which had come up during the hearing of Ayodhya land dispute. It further referred the civil suit on the land dispute to a newly-constituted three-judge bench that will begin hearing from 29 October.
