Rath Yatra
Topic: Recent Developments in Indian Politics: Coalitions, Mandal and a New Consensus · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Rath Yatra was a chariot procession led by BJP leader L.K. Advani in 1990. He set out from Somnath in September 1990 and headed for Ayodhya. Its aim was to build public support for a Ram temple. It matters because it brought down a central government.
Example
Advani was arrested in Bihar in October 1990, before he reached Ayodhya. The BJP had been supporting V.P. Singh's National Front government from outside. It then withdrew that support, and the government fell in November 1990.
Don't confuse with
- Ram Janmabhoomi movement: This was the wider temple campaign, led by the VHP from the mid-1980s. The Rath Yatra was one procession within it.