Mosque Demolished: Ayodhya Ignites Religious Violence
A Hindu nationalist mob of roughly 150,000 people demolished the 16th-century Babri Masjid mosque in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on December 6, 1992, claiming the site was the birthplace of the god Ram. Hindu activists had been agitating for the mosque's removal since 1949, when idols were secretly placed inside. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Vishva Hindu Parishad had organized a massive campaign culminating in the demolition, which was completed in five hours using hammers, pickaxes, and bare hands. Communal riots erupted across India, killing over 2,000 people, mostly Muslims. The demolition permanently altered Indian politics: the BJP rode the wave of Hindu nationalism to become India's dominant party. In 2019, the Supreme Court awarded the site to a Hindu temple trust. The Ram Mandir was inaugurated in January 2024.
December 6, 1992
34 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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