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Journalism of Courage
The decade-old political debate surrounding the site in Ayodhya has its seeds in archaeology. In particular, the excavation carried out by well-known archaeologist B.B. Lal, immediately south of the demolished mosque structure, in the mid-seventies.
The Allahabad High Court order today has revived the hotly contested archaeological claims made by Professor Lal in his seven-page preliminary report submitted to the Archaeological Survey of India ASI.
This, he said, was part of a five-site excavation project carried out in Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringaverapur, Bharadwaj Ashram and Chitrakoot 8216;8216;to determine how early are the sites associated with the Ramayana.8217;8217;
Called the Archaeology of Ramayana, the project was funded by the Government through the ASI. However, Lal said: 8216;8216;I refuse to be part of any excavation ASI team now. It should be left to their survey team or someone younger should be chosen for the job.8217;8217;
Asked why the complete report was never submitted to the ASI nor any routine inspection done on his preliminary report, he said: 8216;8216;All technical facilities were withdrawn after I submitted the preliminary report. I wrote to successive ASI director generals, but the project remained suspended for 10-12 years.8217;8217;
The facilities for the completion of the Ayodhya project, he admitted has been 8216;8216;recently resumed.8217;8217;
Though Lal himself only mentioned just 8216;8216;pillar bases8217;8217; as source his finding, one of his close associates 8212; particularly known for his proximity to the Sangh 8212; said: 8216;8216;Dr Lal8217;s report in 1989 mentions that a row of pillar bases were found, during the course of the excavation, behind the Babri Masjid structure.8217;8217;
Another rather strong backer of the Ayodhya-temple thesis, Professor Makhan Lal said: 8216;8216;The corresponding date of the excavated pillar structure is 11-12th century AD, which could have been standing still 15th century AD.8217;8217; Which is a much later date than that of the legendary king Rama.
Interestingly, a pro-Sangh historian pointed out that the 1994 SC judgment on the 67 acres acquired by the Government during Narasimha Rao8217;s time stated that no change in the landscape of the acquired area excavation, destruction, construction, building can take place.
8216;8216;8216;The area has to remain as it is where is on the day of the judgment, status quo should be maintained till final judgement,8217; is what the Supreme Court order states. Is any high court above the Supreme Court? Is it the job of a court to go fishing for evidence?8217;8217; the pro-Sangh historian said.
However, Left-wing K.M. Shrimali has accused Lal of constantly shifting his stand on the Ayodhya excavation.
