Ritambhara, charged in Babri Mosque demolition case, conferred India’s third-highest award
New Delhi: Sadhvi Ritambhara, who played a pivotal role in the Babri Masjid demolition and was charged in connection with the incident, has been awarded the Padma Bhushan this year in the social work category.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the recognition has sparked widespread controversy, given her long history of incendiary rhetoric and involvement in various communal controversies. Rithambhara first rose to prominence in the late 1980s as a star speaker for the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), where her fiery speeches on the Ram Janmabhoomi movement gained considerable attention.
Her speeches, often described as the “most aggressive,” were broadcast on public loudspeakers, making her a vocal advocate for Hindu nationalism. According to political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot, these speeches helped shape the narrative of the Hindu nationalist movement in India.
In 1991, at the age of 25, Ritambhara was charged by the Delhi Police for provocative speeches that fueled communal tensions, particularly in relation to the Babri Masjid. She was later named in the Liberhan Commission report, which investigated the demolition of the mosque on December 6, 1992.
The Commission listed her as one of the 68 individuals responsible for taking the country to the brink of communal discord. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had also charged her, along with prominent figures like LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, and Uma Bharti. However, in 2020, she was acquitted, along with all the other accused.
