Sakshi Maharaj
Vrindavan (VT) 2017.07.22: Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Unnao, Shri Sachidananda Hari Sakshi Maharaj, was in Vrindavan on Friday, He gave a press conference in his ashram on the Parikrama Marg in Sant Colony.
Since the matter of the Ram Janma Bhoomi is once again before the Supreme Court, which announced on Friday that it will take a decision on the early hearing of petitions in the Ram Temple-Babri Masjid land dispute case, Sakshi Maharaj was asked to comment.
He said, “The construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya is ongoing and has never really been stopped. It is progressing step by step and we expect that the cornerstone will be laid prior to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Work on carving stones for building has been going on at the Karsevakpuram (“Volunteer village”) in Ayodhya as the Supreme Court decision is still being awaited. But, he said, with the BJP in power both at the center and in UP, the time is ripe. If the courts won’t decide, new legislation can be passed.”
Sakhi Maharaj said, in a reference to Ramnath Kovind’s victory in the presidential election that now that Ram has reached Rashtrapati Bhavan, the BJP’s resolve to building the temple to Ram in Ayodhya will certainly not be weakened.
Congratulating President Ramnath Kovind on his victory, he said that his dignified personality makes him a perfect fit for the President’s position. By becoming his President, the country’s politics will take a beneficial new direction. He said that it was a matter for celebration that for the first time in the country, the President, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister have all come from Uttar Pradesh.
He said furthermore that as there is now no national opposition to speak of in the country, nothing will be able to stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi reelection. He will be PM until at least 2024, Maharaj said. The people of the country are with him.
Here is a timeline from India Express showcasing the long-standing dispute:
1528: The Babri Masjid, a mosque in Ayodhya, was constructed by Mir Baki on the orders of Mughal emperor Babar. According to the Hindu community, it was built on the foundations of a temple which marked the birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. This contention lingered on for several years.
1949: Towards the end of December 1949, images 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 disputed and locked its gates.
1950: Mahant Paramhans Ramchandra Das, the chief of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, and Gopal Singh Visharad filed suits in Faizabad, seeking permission to pray before the installed idols. The puja was allowed though the inner courtyard gates remain locked.
1959: Nirmohi Akhara, one of the main parties to the dispute, and others filed a case and sought permission again to conduct prayers.
1961: Sunni Central Board of Waqfs in Uttar Pradesh filed a case claiming the mosque, and argued that the surrounding area was a graveyard.
1984: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad constituted a group to continue the movement as BJP leader L K Advani was made the leader of the campaign.
February 1, 1986: Faizabad district judge ordered the gates of the structure be opened for Hindus to offer prayers. The Babri Masjid Action Committee was formed soon after this.
1989: The then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi allowed shilanyas or a ground-breaking ceremony in an undisputed site close to the structure. The hearing of the case was subsequently shifted to the High Court.
September 25,1990: Advani launched a rath (pilgrimage procession) from Somnath to Ayodhya to galvanise support for the issue countrywide.
November 1990: Advani’s rath was stopped and he was arrested in Samastipur, Bihar. Dissatisfied with the development, the BJP withdrew its support to the VP Singh government, triggering fresh elections. The saffron party made giant strides in the assembly elections by winning a majority.
December 6,1992: The disputed mosque 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.
March 5, 2003: The Allahabad High Court ordered the Archeological Survey of India to excavate the disputed site in order to determine whether a temple existed where the mosque stood.
August 22, 2003: The ASI submitted its report to the Allahabad High Court, saying it had found features of a 10th century temple beneath the site of the masjid
August 31, 2003: All India Muslim Personal Law Board said it would challenge the ASI report.
July 26, 2010: The bench reserved its judgement and advised all parties to solve the issue amicably. But no one was keen.
September 8, 2010: The High Court announced that the verdict would be pronounced on September 24.
September 14, 2010: A writ was filed to defer the judgement but was subsequently rejected by the High Court.
September 23: The plea for an out-of-court settlement reached Supreme Court and the apex body said it would hear it again on September 28.
September 28: The apex court rejected petition for deferment and gave the nod to the Allahabad High court to deliver the judgement. The High Court chose September 30 as verdict day.
September 30: The Allahabad High Court pronounced its verdict on the long-standing Ayodhya Ramjanmabhumi-Babri Masjid issue and ruled for a three-way division of the disputed area, between the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and the party for ‘Ram Lalla’. The Supreme Court later cancelled this decision.
February 26, 2016: The Supreme Court permitted BJP leader Subramanian Swamy to intervene in the pending matters relating to the Ayodhya dispute with his plea seeking construction of Ram temple at the site of the demolished disputed structure.
July 26, 2017: SC says it will take a decision soon.
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