Crucial moments in the Ayodhya kar sevak journey

In the discourse of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, the name of one group is frequently mentioned, credited as an instrumental force behind the construction of the Ram Temple. The kar sevaks are a group who have pushed their demand for the temple in Ayodhya for decades and struggled vehemently to achieve it. There were pivotal moments in this kar sevak journey.

In September 1990, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) campaigned for the Ram Temple to be built at the Ram Janmabhoomi site. The situation took a grave turn when BJP leader L K Advani conducted a rath yatra, aiming to conclude it at Ayodhya. A large crowd followed him and soon, a huge group was marching towards the disputed site. Uttar Pradesh's then chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav decided to thwart the procession and announced a complete lockdown in the state. Yadav reassured the public: "No bird would be able to fly into Ayodhya."

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There was tension in the air on Oct. 30, 1990, as the police had barred all bus and train services to Ayodhya but that did not deter the kar sevaks. They reached there on foot and some swam across the Sarayu River. The disputed structure was barricaded and according to the Liberhan Commission report, a mammoth 28,000 personnel of the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary were deployed in Ayodhya.

It was around 10 am when a large group of kar sevaks headed towards the site, led by Vamadev, Mahant Nratyagopal Das and Ashok Singhal of the VHP. The police tried to stop them and a clash erupted.

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Almost an hour later, a sadhu managed to gain control of an Armed Constabulary bus and drove it through the barricades, with others following on foot. This dealt a blow to the security forces who began pursuing about 5,000 of the kar sevaks. A saffron flag was then hoisted on top of the Babri Masjid.

And then, tragedy struck. On the orders of the government, the security personnel fired on the crowd. Many people died from head wounds. There was a stampede at the Sarayu Bridge, which killed more people.

On Nov. 2, the kar sevaks proceeded again towards the Babri Masjid and there was another clash. The police tried to disperse the crowd with tear gas and baton charges. Some kar sevaks managed to reach the mosque and partially damaged it.

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The police opened fire for the second time in 72 hours. The kar sevaks were chased through alleys, and in one location, later named Shaheed Gali or Martyr’s Alley, police killed many kar sevaks – this included the Kothari Brothers, who were allegedly dragged out of a house.

Later, Mulayam Singh Yadav would describe the firing order as "painful yet necessary as it was ordered by the high court to maintain peace, law, and order till the judgment comes out."

Another fateful day came on Dec. 6, 1992, when the RSS and its affiliates organised a rally involving 150,000 VHP and BJP kar sevaks at the disputed site. Leaders like Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti gave speeches as the crowd grew restless.

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At around noon, a young man managed to slip past the cordon, climbed the Babri Masjid and brandished a saffron flag. It was seen as a signal by the mob, who then stormed the structure. The police cordon placed to protect the structure was vastly outnumbered. The mob attacked the building with axes, hammers and grappling hooks. Within a few hours, the entire structure made from mud and chalk was levelled.

The incident changed the course of modern India's history and started a bitter battle between different factions who struggled to claim supremacy over the disputed land.