Lal Das's Legacy: A Dissenting Voice From Within Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi Movement

Lately, a series of controversies surrounding the Ram Temple in Ayodhya – questions over the management of offerings, first information reports filed against individuals associated with the temple and reports of resignations, or offers to resign, by senior officials of the temple trust – have renewed discussions about accountability and transparency.

Regardless of how these controversies are ultimately resolved, they have revived a longstanding question: when religious institutions become immensely powerful, who holds them accountable?

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Nearly three decades ago, a priest in Ayodhya named Lal Das was asking this very question. Today, he is simply remembered as the former priest of Ram Lalla who was killed in 1993. However, his legacy extends far beyond this superficial description. He was among the few religious figures who publicly questioned the political direction of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement while it was unfolding.

He did not oppose the construction of a Ram temple or devotion to the deity. Rather, he believed that religious faith should not be used as a means of acquiring political power.

A path not taken

Looking back today, it may seem that the Ayodhya dispute was destined to end as it did. But history was not so straightforward. There was a period when a negotiated settlement appeared possible, particularly during the tenure of former prime minister Chandra Shekhar.

When Shekhar assumed office in late 1990, the country was grappling with heightened tensions surrounding the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. L.K. Advani's Rath Yatra had significantly intensified the political and communal atmosphere. 

Amidst this backdrop, the government initiated formal talks between the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Babri Masjid Action Committee. Both sides were requested to present historical documents, archaeological findings and other material supporting their claims. This process continued for several months.

Experts examined the documents, while multiple rounds of dialogue took place. Participants in the process later suggested that meaningful progress was being made towards a resolution. 

Lal Das and the attempt at resolution

In a recent phone conversation with The Wire Hindi, senior Ayodhya journalist Om Prakash Singh said Das was part of the delegation involved in the negotiation started by the Chandra Shekhar government.

Singh, who said he participated in the dialogue process himself, recalled that Das consistently favoured a negotiated settlement. 

According to Singh, "Almost everything had been finalised during the discussions. A consensus was reached. However, once the participants stepped outside, the VHP changed its stance and a compromise could not be reached."

This account could not be independently verified through available government records. It still represents the firsthand recollection of an individual who claims to have participated in the negotiations. 

If Singh's account is accurate, it suggests that the Ayodhya dispute may, at one point, have been close to a negotiated resolution, an outcome Das is said to have advocated for.

A voice of dissent within the movement

Das possessed a unique position in the debate as he was not an outsider criticising the movement. As a former priest of Ram Lalla, he argued that faith, and lord Ram in particular, should not be made a vehicle for political mobilisation.

He was critical of confrontational politics, including the Rath Yatra, and believed that dialogue offered a much better route for resolution.

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Das was featured in Anand Patwardhan's renowned 1991 documentary Ram ke Naam, bringing him widespread acclaim. 

After December 6, 1992

The demolition of the Babri Masjid marked a turning point in India's political history. While many proponents of the movement viewed it as a historic achievement, Das raised publicly questioned whether the demolition reflected the ideals associated with lord Ram, according to multiple reports. 

At a time when only a handful of dissenting voices remained within the movement, Das stood out as one of its most prominent critics. 

Murder and unanswered questions

Lal Das was shot dead on November 16, 1993.

Police investigated local disputes and other potential motives behind the murder. However, his supporters and many independent observers have argued that the political dimension of the case did not receive sufficient attention. 

They contend that Das had openly criticised influential organisations associated with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, advocated for dialogue over confrontation and condemned the demolition of the Babri Masjid. Consequently, some suggested that political motives could also have contributed to the killing and deserved closer examination. 

What questions did Manushi raise?

One of the most important investigations of Lal Das' murder was published by the Manushi magazine. 

The magazine did not claim to have solved the case. Instead, it raised several questions which remain unanswered to this day. Manushi highlighted that investigators had not adequately scrutinised the political motives with the necessary seriousness and documented doubts expressed by people who knew Das. 

Through interviews with his acquaintances and contemporaries, the magazine argued that the official explanations had failed to satisfy many people. However, it did not accuse any individual or organisation of involvement in the murder. 

The difference between doubt and proof

One must understand that suspicion and evidence are not the same thing. Supporters of Das, along with various social activists, have occasionally voiced their doubts regarding the possible role of organisations associated with the sangh parivar. 

Yet, to date, no court has held the VHP, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Bharatiya Janata Party, Bajrang Dal or any other organisation accountable for Das' killing, nor has any judicial finding established a political conspiracy.

At the same time, the investigation has not produced a widely accepted explanation that has put all questions surrounding the murder to rest.

Why Das matters today

Das' significance lies not only in the unresolved questions concerns his murder but also in the alternative perspective he represented. He believed dialogue was preferable to confrontation and argued that even movements rooted in faith cannot be exempt from public scrutiny. 

As Ayodhya once again finds itself at the centre of debates over accountability and transparency, his story serves as a reminder that these questions have echoed throughout the city for over three decades. 

Sheetal P. Singh is a senior journalist.

Translated from Hindi by Naushin Rehman.

This article was originally published on The Wire Hindi.

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