Then And Now: 32 Years Later, Uma Bharti Poses Before Grand Ram Temple

Uma Bharti is in Ayodhya today. She was in the holy town 32 years and 46 days back too. That day, the Babri Masjid was demolished by Hindu activists. Today, a grand Ram Temple has come up at the same place, believed by millions of Hindus to be the spot where Lord Ram was born.

For Uma Bharti, a firebrand BJP leader who was at the forefront of the temple movement, the clock turned backwards. Amid the frenetic, last-minute preparations for the 'pran pratistha' by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uma Bharti was seen embracing another prominent woman leader of the temple movement -- Sadhvi Ritambhara. The two fought back tears, their eyes reflecting how far they, and their political mission, had come.

"I am in front of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, we are waiting for Ram Lalla," Ms Bharti posted on X with a photograph, minutes before Prime Minister Narendra Modi climbed the stairs of the grand temple for the 'pran pratistha' rituals.

An iconic photograph of Ms Bharti, clicked on December 6, 1992, showed her hugging BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi. Ms Bharti and Mr Joshi are both seen smiling at the camera.

Mr Joshi, now 90, stayed away from the grand event. LK Advani, the chief architect of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, stayed away too, citing adverse weather.

A political controversy had erupted after the temple trust said they had asked the veterans to stay away owing to their old age. Following an outcry, both leaders were invited for the event.

Last week, Mr Advani extended his best wishes and said Lord Ram had chosen Prime Minister Modi to build the temple.

With the veterans missing, Ms Bharti was among the few leaders from the Ram Temple movement of the 1990s attending the consecration ceremony today.

Ms Bharti and Ms Ritambhara were among the BJP and Sangh Parivar leaders who were charged by the CBI in the mosque demolition case. They were acquitted by a special court in 2020, along with Mr Advani, Mr Joshi and others.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Ms Ritambhara said Lord Ram had given them courage to carry on the fight for the temple.