History and Controversy of the New Indian Temple

The conflicts between Muslims and Hindus in India have deep historical roots, dating back centuries to the period of Muslim rule in the Indian subcontinent. Tensions have often arisen due to religious differences, competing claims over sacred sites, and political factors. In modern times, issues such as the partition of British India in 1947, which led to the creation of Pakistan as a separate Muslim-majority nation, and subsequent communal violence have exacerbated communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims in India.

A major factor to this tension is the controversy regarding the old Babri mosque and now Ram temple. The Babri Mosque, located in Ayodhya, India, was created in 1528 and demolished on December 6, 1992, by a Hindu nationalist mob. The destruction of the mosque sparked widespread communal violence across India, resulting in the loss of thousands of lives. The incident was rooted in a long-standing dispute over the site, which Hindus believe to be the birthplace of the Hindu deity Lord Ram and contend that it was originally the site of a Hindu temple destroyed by Muslim rulers who built the mosque in its place. The demolition of the Babri Mosque exacerbated religious tensions between Hindus and Muslims in India and remains a highly contentious and polarizing issue in Indian politics and society. In November 2019, the Supreme Court of India made a landmark ruling in the Babri Mosque case, settling a decades-long legal dispute. The verdict allocated the disputed land in Ayodhya for the construction of a Hindu temple and directed the government to provide an alternative plot for a mosque. While aimed at bringing closure and promoting communal harmony, the ruling sparked mixed reactions, with some satisfied and others questioning its fairness.

Now, the Ram temple was built and inaugurated on January 22,2024, a historical day for Hindus across India. A large ceremony featuring prominent figures, Hindu spiritual leaders, and Prime Minister Modi was held in Ayodhya. Although it was celebrated heavily by the Indian population, many Muslim Indians are still conflicted due to the fact their mosque was broken down.