Ram temple consecration: Lalu Prasad Yadav's role during Ram Rath Yatra

Yadav’s decision to detain LK Advani was seen as a bold move and had a significant impact on Indian politics.

Former Bihar CM and Union Railways minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav played a crucial role in stopping the Ram Rath Yatra led by Bharatiya Janata Party stalwart Lal Krishna Advani.

Back then, the young Lalu Yadav, a first-time chief minister of Bihar in 1990 stopped LK Advani-led chariot yatra which was marching from towards Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

To maintain law and order around the Bihar-Uttar Pradesh border, Advani was taken into preventive custody. Yadav’s decision was seen as a bold move and had a significant impact on Indian politics.

Lalu Yadav challenged the BJP’s claim to represent the entire Hindu community, by asserting his own identity as a devout Hindu Yadav.

Advani's arrest also led to the collapse of the V. P. Singh government at the Centre, as the BJP withdrew its support. And, this triggered early general elections. Since then, BJP has grown big in India.

In 1999, Atal Bihari Vajpayee became Prime Minister with LK Advani as his deputy.

Later in 2014, Narendra Modi helped BJP make a resounding comeback with back-to-back victories in Lok Sabha Elections.

PM Modi will complete his second term this May and now that BJP has fulfulied their 'Mandir Wahi Benegi' promise, is eyeing for a hatrick win.

In Bihar, Lalu Yadav and his family have consolidated the Rashtriya Janata Dal party base in the hindi heartland.

After the eventful 1990-95 term, RJD supremo was re-elected as the CM of Bihar up to 1997 and later vacated the post to his wife Rabri Devi, to foray fully into the national politics. He also served as Union Railways minister during the Indian National Congress(INC)-led United Progressive Alliance.

Currently, RJD in coalition with Nitish Kumar's JD(U) is running the Bihar government.

Janata Dal (United) president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi.

During his term as CM and as Railways minister, Lalu Yadav was accused of corruption cases, prominent being the 1996 Fodder Scam (five cases) and Land-for-jobs scam. He is convicted of most of the cases. 75-year-old Lalu Yadav is currently on bail secured on grounds of his deteriorating health condition.

His family members - wife Rabri Devi, his sons Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav, and his eldest daughter Misa Bharti are also facing charges in several corruption cases.

Ram Rath Yathra's motive

Advani-led the Ram Rath Yatra organised by BJP and its affiliates demanded the construction of the Ram Temple at the site of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

It is believed that Mir Baqi, a commander of the Mughal emperor Babur in 1528–29 AD, built the Babri mosque over the very site where the lord Ram was born. Excavation by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at the site confirmed the presence of a Hindu structure and related artifacts.

These pivotal pieces of evidence for the Supreme Court to pass the judgment in favour of Ram Lalla Virajman, as the real owner of the disputed land in Ayodhya in 2019.

On August 5, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Ram Temple site in Ayodhya.

Lalu Yadav was invited to attend the Ram temple ceremony, but declined to attend.

Former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani (96) could not attend the ceremony due to bad health.

PM Modi, earlier today (January 22) participated in the Ram temple consecration. The full works of the temple and the surrounding area are said to be completed in 2025.

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