The Ayodhya dispute is a political, historical, and socio-religious debate in India, centred on a plot of land in the city of Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. The issues revolve around the control of a site traditionally regarded as the birthplace of one of the most widely worshipped Hindu deities Rama, considered to the seventh incarnation of God Vishnu.

According to the Ramayana, Lord Rama was born in Ayodhya and was the son of King Dasharatha and Queen Kaushalya. According to a Hindu religious text Garuda Purana, Ayodhya is among one of seven sacred sites where Moksha (final release from the cycle of death and rebirth) may be obtained.

Babur was the founder of the Mughal Empire and the first Mughal Emperor. It is believed that Mir Baqi, his general has built the Babri Masjid (Babur’s Mosque) in 1528 on Babur’s orders. The location of the Mosque where Babri Masjid stood is traditionally considered to be the birthplace of the Hindu deity Rama and, it is believed that Hindu temple (where the God was born) was demolished or modified to create a mosque, is at the core of the dispute.

Timeline –

• 1528- According to the inscription on the walls of the Babri Masjid, the Mosque was constructed on the orders of Babur. Local tradition believes that Lord Rama was born in a room located under the central dome of the Mosque.
• 1717– Rajput noble Jai Singh ll purchased the land of the Mosque in the Mughal Court and, Hindus worship Rama idols outside the Mosque.
• 1853- The year was the first to record communal clashes over the site between Hindus and Muslims.
• 1859- British erected a fence to separate the areas of worship by allowing the inner court to be used by Muslims and outer court by Hindus.
• 1949- Idols of Lord Rama were placed inside the Mosque. Both sides to the dispute filed civil suits and, the government locked the gates, declaring the area to be disputed.
• 1961- Case was filed in the Indian courts against the forceful occupation of the Babri Masjid and removal of Lord Rama’s idol from the Mosque.
• 1984- Hindu groups formed a committee for the construction of a temple at the Ram JanmaBhoomi site claiming the birthplace of Lord Ram.
  1986-Babri Mosque Action Committee was formed to protest the orders of District judge for opening the gates of Mosque after 37 yrs and, to allow Hindus to worship inside the ‘disputed structure’.
• 1989- In February, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) proclaimed that a Shila or stone would be established for construction of a temple near the area.In November, VHP laid the foundations of the temple on the adjacent land of the ‘disputed structure’ in the presence of Home Minister ShBoota Singh and then Chief Minister Sh ND Tiwari.
• 1990– Lal Krishna Advani leads RathYatra from Somnath to Ayodhya, demanding the construction of a temple the yatra also led to the communal violence and clashes in many Paran Singh became the CM of Uttar Pradesh and acquired 2.77 acre of land around the disputed site.
• 1992- On 6th December, Karsevaks demolished the Babri Masjid followed by communal riots.
• 1993- President issued orders for the acquisition of areas around the disputed site and also referred the matter to the Supreme Court for its opinion on demolition.
• 2002- Allahabad Court began hearing on the ownership of the land and the disputed structure.
• 2009- After 17 yrs, Liberhan Commission submits report on the Babri Masjid demolition.
• 2010- Allahabad High Court ordered the three-way division of land between Ram.
• 2019- In March, Supreme Court forms a mediation panel on Ayodhya Dispute. However, the panel failed to resolve the dispute. On 9th November, Supreme Court gives its verdict on Ayodhya Case that 2.77 acres of land will be given to a trust for temple construction and ordered the government to allot 5 acres of land to Muslims in another location for building Mosque.
• 2020– The Government of India announced the trust to be named as Shri Ram JanmabhoomiTeerthKshetra on 5th February 2020. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi performed the Bhumi Pujan or foundation stone laying ceremony on 5th August 2020.