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Photos: 25 years of Babri Masjid demolition, the story so far

The Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi case which has been going on for a quarter of a century is a dispute that is over a century old. The Supreme Court decided to hear the civil appeals filed by various parties challenging the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute on February 8 next year in what has been called as the ‘final hearing’.

Updated on: Dec 06, 2017 4:44 PM IST

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1/11

People climb atop Babri Masjid the day it was demolished in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh on December 06, 1992. The Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi case has been going on for a quarter of a century but the dispute itself is over a century old. On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the demolition, the Supreme Court said it will hear appeals regarding the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute in February 2018. The belief is that the birthplace of Lord Rama is located under the mosque’s central dome. (Sanjay Sharma / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 06, 2017 4:44 PM

People climb atop Babri Masjid the day it was demolished in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh on December 06, 1992. The Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi case has been going on for a quarter of a century but the dispute itself is over a century old. On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the demolition, the Supreme Court said it will hear appeals regarding the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute in February 2018. The belief is that the birthplace of Lord Rama is located under the mosque’s central dome. (Sanjay Sharma / HT Photo)

2/11

Muslims demonstrators at India Gate rallying for Babri Masjid on March 30, 1987. While the case took centre stage after the demolition in 1992, disputes over the ownership of the land date back to 18th century with the first incident of violence over the holy site recorded in 1853. The epic court dispute began when Mahant Raghubir Das, a Hindu priest, filed the first court case and sought permission to build a canopy on the Ramchabutra. (Virendra Prabhakar /HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 06, 2017 4:44 PM

Muslims demonstrators at India Gate rallying for Babri Masjid on March 30, 1987. While the case took centre stage after the demolition in 1992, disputes over the ownership of the land date back to 18th century with the first incident of violence over the holy site recorded in 1853. The epic court dispute began when Mahant Raghubir Das, a Hindu priest, filed the first court case and sought permission to build a canopy on the Ramchabutra. (Virendra Prabhakar /HT Photo)

3/11

Hindu groups formed a committee in 1984 to lead the construction of a Ram temple at the Janmabhoomi site and the movement gathered momentum under BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani. In 1989, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) laid the foundation of a Ram temple on the land next to the Babri Masjid. (Rajiv Gupta / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 06, 2017 4:44 PM

Hindu groups formed a committee in 1984 to lead the construction of a Ram temple at the Janmabhoomi site and the movement gathered momentum under BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani. In 1989, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) laid the foundation of a Ram temple on the land next to the Babri Masjid. (Rajiv Gupta / HT Photo)

4/11

(L to R) BJP leaders LK Advani, AB Vajpayee and Murli Manohar Joshi seen at a party National Executive Committee meeting. BJP president Lal Krishna Advani in 1990 went on a Somnath-to-Ayodhya Rath Yatra to ‘educate people’ about the movement to build a temple at the disputed site. In 1991, BJP became the country’s primary opposition party and came to power in Uttar Pradesh. The momentum for the temple movement increased as kar sevaks (volunteers) poured into Ayodhya. (HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 06, 2017 4:44 PM

(L to R) BJP leaders LK Advani, AB Vajpayee and Murli Manohar Joshi seen at a party National Executive Committee meeting. BJP president Lal Krishna Advani in 1990 went on a Somnath-to-Ayodhya Rath Yatra to ‘educate people’ about the movement to build a temple at the disputed site. In 1991, BJP became the country’s primary opposition party and came to power in Uttar Pradesh. The momentum for the temple movement increased as kar sevaks (volunteers) poured into Ayodhya. (HT Photo)

5/11

As BJP gained momentum with its Rath Yatra, thousands of kar sevaks gathered in Ayodhya. The mosque was partially damaged in 1990 and at least 30 were killed in police firing. The state government, under Mulayam Singh Yadav, swore protection and promised a complete lockdown of the site and city. (HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 06, 2017 4:44 PM

As BJP gained momentum with its Rath Yatra, thousands of kar sevaks gathered in Ayodhya. The mosque was partially damaged in 1990 and at least 30 were killed in police firing. The state government, under Mulayam Singh Yadav, swore protection and promised a complete lockdown of the site and city. (HT Photo)

6/11

A politically charged crowd after speeches by LK Advani, Murli Manohor Joshi and Uma Bharti stormed the Babri Masjid and razed it to the ground, sparking anti-communal riots across India in which an estimated 2000 people were killed. (Sanjay Sharma / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 06, 2017 4:44 PM

A politically charged crowd after speeches by LK Advani, Murli Manohor Joshi and Uma Bharti stormed the Babri Masjid and razed it to the ground, sparking anti-communal riots across India in which an estimated 2000 people were killed. (Sanjay Sharma / HT Photo)

7/11

In the immediate fallout, then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao’s government dismissed BJP govts in UP, MP, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. Ten days after the mosque was demolished, Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao set up a commission of inquiry under retired judge Justice MS Liberhan. (HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 06, 2017 4:44 PM

In the immediate fallout, then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao’s government dismissed BJP govts in UP, MP, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. Ten days after the mosque was demolished, Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao set up a commission of inquiry under retired judge Justice MS Liberhan. (HT Photo)

8/11

A special court hearing the Babri Masjid demolition case ordered framing of charges against 49 accused, including senior BJP leaders Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Kalyan Singh (pictured above) in September 1997. (Ajay Aggarwal / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 06, 2017 4:44 PM

A special court hearing the Babri Masjid demolition case ordered framing of charges against 49 accused, including senior BJP leaders Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Kalyan Singh (pictured above) in September 1997. (Ajay Aggarwal / HT Photo)

9/11

In 2002, under pressure from VHP, the Centre filed an application in the Supreme Court for vacating the ‘interim order’ banning any religious activity in Ayodhya. On February 6, 2002 at least 59 people were killed when a train in Godhra, Gujarat carrying kar sevaks from Ayodhya was attacked. As a result, riots erupted across Gujarat in which over 1,000 people were killed. (AP)

Updated on Dec 06, 2017 4:44 PM

In 2002, under pressure from VHP, the Centre filed an application in the Supreme Court for vacating the ‘interim order’ banning any religious activity in Ayodhya. On February 6, 2002 at least 59 people were killed when a train in Godhra, Gujarat carrying kar sevaks from Ayodhya was attacked. As a result, riots erupted across Gujarat in which over 1,000 people were killed. (AP)

10/11

After the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court began hearings to determine who owns the Ayodhya site, Prime Minister AB Vajpayee set up an Ayodhya cell to hold talks with Hindu and Muslim leaders. (Pradeep Bhatia / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 06, 2017 4:44 PM

After the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court began hearings to determine who owns the Ayodhya site, Prime Minister AB Vajpayee set up an Ayodhya cell to hold talks with Hindu and Muslim leaders. (Pradeep Bhatia / HT Photo)

11/11

After a series of events following the Allahabad High Court verdict of a three-way division of the disputed land and its subsequent failure, the top court called for an amicable settlement over who owns the site. On the eve of 25th anniversary of the demolition the SC decided to hear civil appeals filed by various parties challenging the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute on February 8 next year. (Sonu Mehta / HT Photo)

Updated on Dec 06, 2017 4:44 PM

After a series of events following the Allahabad High Court verdict of a three-way division of the disputed land and its subsequent failure, the top court called for an amicable settlement over who owns the site. On the eve of 25th anniversary of the demolition the SC decided to hear civil appeals filed by various parties challenging the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute on February 8 next year. (Sonu Mehta / HT Photo)

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