Origins: It’s a settled question

In 1934, there were riots and one of the main domes was damaged. Other domes were damaged too and the British govt ordered repairs. In 1949, the idol of Ram Lalla was placed right under the central dome. The disputed structure was demolished in 1992. Fact is, you cannot begin the Ayodhya story in 1992. It has to go back to 1528, when Ramjanmabhoomi was demolished by Babar’s military commander Mir Baqi. There is no scope for fresh evidence in the case. SC is hearing what has already been concluded by the Allahabad HC. There is overwhelming evidence that the place is centred around Hindu worship and the mosque there was not central to Islam, as has been observed by the HC. Now SC only has to decide to hand over the land.

—Minakshi Jain, political scientist and historian