Indian PM to open temple at site of mosque destroyed by Hindu mobs

Modi will preside over a consecration ceremony of the idol of Hindu god Ram, marking the culmination of an event that is likely to shape his electoral narrative in general elections later this year also called as saffron politics of the right-wing ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Thousands of people, including many film and sports celebrities have been invited for the dream controversial project of the BJP and its allied extremist outfits such as Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) among others. 

Security has been beefed up across Uttar Pradesh, especially Faizabad District where Ayodhya town is located.  

The BJP which is at the helm of federal politics and has its own provincial government have used all state machinery to make the temple opening a grandeur event in order to woo voters as Modi’s popularity is gradually going down since opposition parties formed a grand alliance called I.N.D.I.A. to defeat the far-right politics of BJP and its allies in the next elections.

A large crowd of extremist Hindus in the presence of their right-wing leaders destroyed the historical mosque in 1992, triggering communal riots that claimed the lives of about 2,000 people across India, mostly Muslims.

The mosque was built during the first Mughal Emperor,  Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur and Muslims worshiped there for generations

But many Hindus believed the site was the birthplace of one of their most revered deities, Ram and filed petition in different courts.

After decades of legal battles, the Supreme Court of India, in its final judgment on 9 November 2019, ordered the disputed land (2.77 acres) to be handed over to a Hindu trust to build the Ram Temple. 

India's apex court in its ruling also declared the demolition of the Babri mosque against the rule of law and ordered that Muslims would get another plot of land to construct a mosque, which has not been allotted yet.

Violence against Muslims and other minority groups in recent years has intensified since the BJP came to power, raising concerns that religious intolerance is growing under the Hindu nationalist government.

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