Security has been beefed up in Uttar Pradesh, particularly Ayodhya and Mathura ahead of the 29th anniversary of the Babri Masjid's demolition on Monday.
From Saturday evening, five more SPs, 14 Deputy-SPs, 40 inspectors, 1400 head constables and constables, ten PAC companies, and six RAF units have been deployed in Ayodhya. Four organisations including the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, Srikrishna Janmabhumi Nirman Nyas, Narayani Sena, and Srikrishna Mukti Dal, have been denied permission to hold traditional rituals in Mathura, according to Senior Superintendent
of Police (SSP) Gaurav Grover.
After a few right-wing groups threatened to place an idol of Lord Krishna in the Shahi Idgah mosque on December 6, District Magistrate Navneet Singh Chahal and SSP Grover have been stationed
at the Deeg Gate police outpost, which is extremely close to the Idgah, to keep an eye on any mishaps.
The Railbus service between Mathura and Vrindavan has been suspended for four days as a precautionary measure. Tanveer Ahmad, advocate and secretary of the Idgah trust, has praised the
district administration's efforts to maintain Mathura's peace.
Following the Supreme Court's decision on Ayodhya last year, police urge Hindu organisations to stop celebrating Shourya Diwas (Day of Bravery). On 'Yaum-e-Gham' (Day of
Sorrow), Muslim organisations and parties will perform processions and demonstrations in various locations.
The demolition anniversary of the Babri Masjid was a low-key affair last year, with both Hindu and Muslim religious leaders downplaying the event under strong security measures. The
Hindu and Muslim communities had decided not to hold any particular events to commemorate the day.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) used to call the day 'Shaurya Divas' (day of bravery) until 2018, whereas Muslims in Ayodhya called it 'Black Day' (day of mourning).
"We have not held any event on this day," Haji Mahboob, a crucial prosecution witness in the Babri demolition case, stated. In the mosques, however, we mourned the destruction of the Babri Masjid and offered special prayers."
What happened on 6 December 1992?
On this day in 1992, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) organised a rally with thousands of Hindu Kar Sevaks near the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, which Hindus claim is where Lord Ram
was born. By the afternoon of that day, the mob became aggressive and began shouting slogans. The Babri Masjid was gradually demolished as security personnel were overrun.
Hindu Kar Sevaks carried out the historic demolition of the Babri Masjid. Over 2,000 people were killed as a result of the demolition, which sparked communal rioting across the country.
LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, and Uma Bharti were among the politicians accused of provoking the crowd on that day.
On September 30, 2020, the Special CBI court in Lucknow acquitted all of the defendants in the case, stating that the demolition was "not pre-planned." In addition, the court
stated that there was no conclusive evidence against them.
The reason behind communal dispute in Ayodhya
The entire matter focuses around a 2.77-acre plot of property in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The Hindus claim that the land is where Lord Ram was born, while the Muslims claim that it is
where the Babri mosque is located.
Hindus, on the other hand, claim that the Babri mosque was built in 1528 on the "Ram Janmabhoomi" by Mughal emperor Babur, who destroyed a pre-existing temple dedicated to Lord Rama.