Recommended by: Viral Nagori

Summary: A sensational book' India TodayA shocking exposé of the event that changed Indian politics foreverP.V. Narasimha Rao was the prime minister of India when, on 6 December 1992, thousands of kar sevaks stormed into the site of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya. The nation watched in horror as the centuries-old mosque was razed to the ground, in the presence of paramilitary forces and senior political leaders, marking a turning point in post-Independence Indian history.Many hold Rao responsible for not preventing the demolition, while others accuse him of being a co-conspirator. In this tell-all account, Rao reveals what really transpired in the run-up to that fateful day. Drawing on the Supreme Court order, parliamentary proceedings, eyewitness reports and his own insights, he presents a comprehensive view of the machinations that led to the demolition of the Babri Masjid.Nearly three decades after the event, Ayodhya: 6 December 1992 remains a valuable resource to understanding the political manoeuvres behind the Ram Mandir issue and the dangers of exploiting religious sentiments for narrow electoral gains.

Contents: CHRONOLOGY OF MAJOR EVENTS RELATED TO AYODHYA

MAP OF RAMJANMABHOOMI - BABRI MASJID

INTRODUCTION 1

RAMJANMABHOOMI - BABRI

MASJID

AYODHYA 1949: IDOLS MOVE

INTO THE MOSQUE

AYODHYA 1986: THE OPENING OF THE LOCKS

AYODHYA 1989: THE SHILANYAS

AYODHYA 1990: THE CRISIS

AYODHYA 1992: THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF DISPUTE 88
AYODHYA : 6 DECEMBER 1992
WHY WAS ARTICLE 356 NOT INVOKED?
AYODHYA : WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY
APPENDIX I: Major communal riots relating to Ramjanmabhoomi - Babri
Masjid issue during 1989 and 1990
APPENDIX II: Resolution adopted by the National Integration Council at its meeting held on 2 November 1991 at New Delhi
APPENDIX III: Extract from the report of delegation of the members of the National Integration Council and Members of Parliament to Ayodhya, 27 April 1992 1
APPENDIX IV: Prime Minister's statement in Lok Sabha on 27 July 1992
APPENDIX V: Prime Minister's letter to leaders of political parties dated 27 September 1992 202
APPENDIX VI: Prime Minister's intervention in the meeting of the National Integration Council on 23 November 1992
APPENDIX VII: Extracts from important affidavits of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, 1991-92 210
APPENDIX VIII: Statements of important leaders of BJP / VHP during the build - up to the kar seva, November - December 1992
APPENDIX IX: Important communications / letters written by Home Minister / senior officers of the Central Government to the State Government of Uttar Pradesh from time to time in regard to Ramjanmabhoomi - Babri Masjid issue
APPENDIX X: Letters from Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh to the Central Government, November 1992
APPENDIX XI: Letters from the Union Home Minister to the Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh, 1-5 December 1992
APPENDIX XII: Prime Minister's statement in Parliament on 7 December 1992 in relation to the situation at Ayodhya
APPENDIX XIII: Prime Minister's intervention in the Lok Sabha on 21 December 1992 258
APPENDIX XIV: The Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Ordinance, 1993, dated 7 January 1993
APPENDIX XV: Reference to the Supreme Court under Article 143 of the Constitution, dated 7 January 1993
APPENDIX XVI: Supreme Court Judgment, dated 24 December 1994