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Jahan Ram wahin Ayodhya

New Delhi, Sep ३०: The Ayodhya dispute has remained an emotive issue and mired in a slew of legalsuits for decades involving Hindu and Muslim religious groups.
Following is the history, chronology and timeline of the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid issue on which the Allahabad High Court delivered its keenly awaited verdict today on the Ayodhya title suit.

* 1528: A mosque is built on the site by Mughalemperor Babar which Hindus allege to be a birth place of LordRam and where a temple was there earlier.

* 1853: First recorded incidents of communal violenceat the disputed site take place.

* 1859: British officials erect a fence to separatethe places of worships, allowing the inner court to be used byMuslims and the outer court by Hindus.

* 1885: Mahant Raghubir Das files a suit seekingpermission to build a canopy on Ram chabootra but his plea wasrejected a year after by the Faizabad district court.

* 1949: Idol of Lord Ram surfaces inside mosque.Muslims claim that it was kept there by Hindus. Muslims protest, and both parties file civil suits.The government proclaims the premises a disputed area andlocks the gates.

* January 18, 1950: The first title suit filed byGopal Singh Visharad asking for the right to worship the idolsinstalled at 'Asthan Janmabhoomi'. The court restrained theremoval of idols and allowed the worship to continue.

* April 24, 1950: The State of UP appeals against theinjunction order.

* 1950: Ramchandra Paramhans files another suit, butwithdraws later.

* 1959: Nirmohi Akhara enters the fray and files thethird suit, seeks possession of the site, doing away with thecourt-appointed receiver. It claims itself to be the custodianof the spot at which Ram was supposedly born.

* December 18, 1961: UP Sunni Central Board of Waqfsmoves in to claim possession of the mosque and adjoining land.

* 1986: On a plea of Hari Shanker Dubey, a districtjudge directs Masjid gates to be unlocked to allow 'darshan'. Muslims set up Babri Masjid Action Committee.

* 1989: A fresh suit is filed by former VHPvice-president Deoki Nandan Agarwala in the name of Lord Ramfor declaration of the title and possession in its favour atthe Lucknow bench of the Allahabad HC.

* October 23, 1989: All the four suits, pending beforea Faizabad court transferred to a special bench of the HC.

* 1989: VHP lays foundations of a Ram temple on landadjacent to the disputed mosque.

(courtesy:PTI)