Ram Janmabhoomi movement
Also called: Ayodhya movement · Topic: Recent Developments in Indian Politics: Coalitions, Mandal and a New Consensus · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 8 "Recent Developments in Indian Politics"
Meaning
The Ram Janmabhoomi movement was a campaign for a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. Many Hindus believe this site is Ram's birthplace. The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) led the campaign from the mid-1980s. The movement changed the politics of the BJP and turned secularism into a central political debate. Secularism here means the state treats all religions equally. The legal dispute ended with the Supreme Court's 2019 verdict, and the temple was consecrated on 22 January 2024.
Example
In 1986 the Faizabad district court ordered the locks at the site opened for worship. In 1989 the shilanyas (foundation-laying ceremony) was held. Both events gave the movement new energy. The BJP's Palampur resolution of 1989 backed the temple, and the party's Lok Sabha seats rose from 2 in 1984 to 85 in 1989.
Don't confuse with
- Rath Yatra: This was one event within the movement. It was L.K. Advani's 1990 procession towards Ayodhya. The movement itself was a campaign that lasted many years.
- Hindutva: This is the idea behind the BJP's politics, popularised by V.D. Savarkar in 1923. The Ram Janmabhoomi movement was one campaign that used this idea to win support.