: विनय कटियार) was born in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh to Shri Devi Charan Katiyar

Katiyar

Katiyar is a Brij or Awadhi language word.Katiyar surname has origin from the word Katara or Sword.The Indian nobility often wore ornamental katara as a symbol of their social status...

 and Late Shrimati Shyam Kali on November 22, 1954. He is presently National General Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party

Bharatiya Janata Party

The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...

. He was the founder-President of the Hindu extremist group Bajrang Dal

Bajrang Dal

The Bajrang Dal , a hardline and militant Hindu organization in India, is the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and is based on the ideology of Hindutva. Founded on 1 October 1984 in Uttar Pradesh, India, it has since spread throughout India...

. He held this post when the 15th century built Babri Masjid was brought done by the Bajrang Dal and other organizations on December 6, 1992 to build a Ram Janmabhoomi

Ram Janmabhoomi

Ram Janmabhoomi is the "Birthplace of Lord Rama."Lord Rama is a major God in Hindu theology and the Hindu religion where He is described as an Avatar of Lord Vishnu in Hinduism. The exact location of Lord Rama's birth as stated in holy Ramayan as being in the city of Ayoudhya in Uttar Pardesh...

 Temple.

Rama Janmabhoomi

Indian public sentiment for Lord Shri Rama's Temple at his birth place, Ayodhya, was given a huge push to Ram Janmabhoomi

Ram Janmabhoomi

Ram Janmabhoomi is the "Birthplace of Lord Rama."Lord Rama is a major God in Hindu theology and the Hindu religion where He is described as an Avatar of Lord Vishnu in Hinduism. The exact location of Lord Rama's birth as stated in holy Ramayan as being in the city of Ayoudhya in Uttar Pardesh...

 Temple at Ayodhya, mainly due to the propaganda by the Hindu fundamentalist organizations. With popular public support, Vinay Katiyar

Katiyar

Katiyar is a Brij or Awadhi language word.Katiyar surname has origin from the word Katara or Sword.The Indian nobility often wore ornamental katara as a symbol of their social status...

 was actively involved with Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and formed the youth wing of VHP - Bajrang Dal

Bajrang Dal

The Bajrang Dal , a hardline and militant Hindu organization in India, is the youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and is based on the ideology of Hindutva. Founded on 1 October 1984 in Uttar Pradesh, India, it has since spread throughout India...

. Though the public were successful in constructing a partial temple of Lord Shri Rama, it has not been got to its original glory. These organizations believe that originally, Shri Rama Temple has been converted and replaced with a mosque by the invading Army of Babur

Babur

Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...

. Due to political interference and the agitation by the fundamentalist organizations, a small partial temple of Lord Shri Rama was built.

From 1528 to 1992 this was the site of the Babri Mosque

Babri Mosque

The Babri Mosque , was a mosque in Ayodhya, a city in the Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh, on Ramkot Hill . It was destroyed in 1992 when a political rally developed into a riot involving 150,000 people, despite a commitment to the Indian Supreme Court by the rally organisers that the mosque...

 which, the Hindus believe, was surrounded on all sides by Sita

SITA

SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...

 Rasoi (Lord Rama's wife Sita Devi's Kitchen. It is believed, the original Hindu temple was demolished or dramatically modified on the orders of the Mughal Emperor Babur

Babur

Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...

 and the mosque was built in its place. A movement was launched in 1984 by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP party) to reclaim the site for Hindus who want to erect a temple dedicated to the infant Rama (Ramlala), at this spot. Many Muslim

Muslim

A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

 organizations have continued to express outrage at the destruction of the mosque and show strong opposition to building of the proposed new temple.

According to the Hindu view, the ancient temple could have been destroyed on the orders of Mughal

Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire ,‎ or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...

 emperor Babur.

Claims have been made that worship took place on a platform called the "Ram Chabutara" prior to Independence. According to British sources, Hindus and Muslims (who came from Faizabad

Faizabad

City of Faizabad , previous capital of Awadh, is the headquarters of Faizabad District and a municipal board in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, situated on the banks of river Ghaghra . Faizabad has a twin city of Ayodhya, which is considered to be the birthplace of Rama...

) used to worship together in the Disputed Structure in the 19th century until about 1855. P. Carnegy wrote in 1870:

"It is said that up to that time, the Hindus and Mohamedans alike used to worship in the mosque-temple. Since the British rule a railing has been put up to prevent dispute, within which, in the mosque the Mohamedans pray, while outside the fence the Hindus have raised a platform on which they make their offerings."

This platform was outside the disputed structure but within its precincts. Hindu protagonists say that they have been demanding the return of the site for centuries, and cite accounts from several western travellers to India during the Mughal rule in India.

Political profile

Vinay Katiyar was elected to Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha

The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...

 from Faizabad (Ayodhya)

Faizabad (Lok Sabha constituency)

Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh state in northern India-Assembly segments:Presently, Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency comprises five Vidhan Sabha segments...

 to the 10th, 11th and 13th Lok Sabha in 1991, 1996 and 1999 and was the President of the Uttar Pradesh State Unit of the BJP from 2002 to July 18, 2004. He is presently a member of Rajya sabha

Rajya Sabha

The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...

 from Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

.

He has raised the issue again and again in 2003 by writing letters to members of Parliament

Parliament of India

The Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...

, organising "jagran yatras", etc.

External links

• Bharatiya Janata Party Website
• http://www.hinduunity.com/bajrangdal.html