The Babri Masjid was built in Ayodhya in the 16th century by Mughal Emperor Babur. According to Hindu belief, the mosque was constructed after demolishing a pre-existing temple marking the birthplace of Lord Rama.
In 1949, idols of Lord Rama appeared inside the mosque. The event led to tensions between the Hindu and Muslim communities.
Legal battles over the site began in the 1950s. Various civil suits were filed by both Hindu and Muslim groups claiming ownership of the site.
In 1986, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu nationalist organization, performed a symbolic foundation-laying ceremony (Shilanyas) for the construction of a Ram temple on the disputed site.
On December 6, 1992, a large mob of Hindu activists, including leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), demolished the Babri Masjid, leading to widespread communal riots across India.
The demolition resulted in a series of legal battles. The central government acquired the site and surrounding areas to maintain peace. Various suits were filed in courts to decide the title dispute.
The Allahabad High Court, in 2010, delivered its verdict, dividing the disputed land into three parts. One-third was awarded to the Sunni Waqf Board, one-third to the Nirmohi Akhara, and one-third to the party representing the deity, Lord Rama (represented by the Hindu group).
In November 2019, the Supreme Court of India delivered its verdict. It granted the entire disputed land to the Hindus for the construction of a Ram temple. The court also directed the government to provide an alternate plot of land to the Sunni Waqf Board for the construction of a mosque.
In August 2020, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya.