'Ayodhya Revisited': All about the book Rajeev Dhavan tore in the SC

Amid flaring tensions, the Ayodhya case arguments reached the final day on Wednesday, when in a shocking move, senior counsel Rajeev Dhavan who is representing the Muslim groups in the case tore a book called Ayodhya Revisited which had been submitted as part of the arguments before the bench. The book in question, Ayodhya Revisited, was submitted to the 5-judge Constitution bench by senior advocate Vikas Singh to supplement his arguments. Dhavan objected to the submission and tore the pages of the book. The bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi condemning the incident, stating that if the behavior continues they would halt the proceedings and walk out.

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Ayodhya Revisited

The book has been authored by former Indian Police Service (IPS) offices Kishore Kunal, and is based on scientific investigation as well as source-based information on the matter. As per the book's listings online, it says the inscriptions in the erstwhile Babri Masjid were fictitious and the supposed Mir Baqi who did the inscriptions is a fictitious person, different from Baqi Tashkindi/Shegawal described in the Baburnama (autobiography of Babur). 

The book produces significant evidence to prove that there was indeed a Ram Mandir on the Ram Janambhoomi. The book also states that the exact birthplace of Lord Ram was earmarked by a rectangular bed measuring 18 ft. 9 inches in length and 15ft in width, and was located in the inner portion of the disputed shrine.

According to Ayodhya Revisited, the demolition of the temple and the construction of the mosque did not take place in 1528 A.D., but in 1660 A.D.when Fedai Khan was the Governor at Ayodhya under the kingship of Aurangzeb. The book also describes how both the Hindus and Muslims used to perform puja and offer Namaz respectively inside the premise until the British took over the Awadh administration in 1858. 

It also incorporates a lot of unexplored documents about Ayodhya and the Ram Mandir. The foreword of the book has been written by the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, GB Patnaik.

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