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Ayodhya dispute rewritten, reduced and SC verdict labeled example of consensus.
The newly revised Class 12 political science textbook by the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has made notable changes in how it references the Babri Masjid. According to a report by The Indian Express, the textbook now refers to it as a “three-dome structure” built at the believed birthplace of Shri Ram, without explicitly naming it as the Babri Masjid.
The updated edition explains that the structure was constructed by Mir Baqi, a general of Mughal Emperor Babur, in the 16th century, and featured Hindu symbols both inside and out. This contrasts with the previous edition, which clearly identified the structure as the Babri Masjid.
Significant historical details and events have been omitted or altered in the new edition. The previous textbook discussed the communal mobilization and riots that followed the mosque’s demolition by Hindutva extremists in 1992, a pivotal event affecting India’s secular discourse.
The revision includes rephrasing events related to the mosque’s history, such as the 1986 court ruling that allowed Hindu worship at the site, reflecting a shift towards emphasizing Hindu claims and sentiments.
Furthermore, the coverage of the Ayodhya dispute has been reduced from four pages to two. Several references to communal tensions and the political consequences of the mosque’s demolition have been removed, including past newspaper clippings and statements from political figures that underscored the controversy’s impact on national secularism and governance.
