Summary of complaint
We received complaints from readers unhappy about an article on the website reporting onĚýthe inauguration of a Hindu temple in the city of Ayodhya by the Indian Prime Minister: Ayodhya Ram Mandir: India PM Modi inaugurates Hindu temple on razed Babri mosque siteĚý
Our response
Some readers felt that the article was biased against Hindus and used inflammatory language. They also objected to us reporting in the headline that the temple had been built on the site of a 16th- Century mosque which we explained in the second paragraph of the story had been “torn down by Hindu mobs in 1992”. We believe that to be a fair and accurate account of what happened.Ěý We also mentioned that “many Hindus believe the Babri mosque was built by Muslim invaders on the ruins of a temple where the Hindu god (Ram) was born” and we provided more context, reporting on the 2019 Indian Supreme Court judgement which gave the disputed land to Hindus, who form 80% of India’s population.Ěý
We do not agree that the article was demeaning to Hindus. Quoting Mr Modi who said it was a “historic occasion”, we reported on the ceremony and on the celebrations in India and in other countries too.ĚýĚý Ěý
ĚýWe ran a preview article the previous dayĚýwhere we went into more detail about past historical events, speaking to Hindus and Muslims and to a BJP MP who defended his party against allegations of turning a religious event into a state-sponsored one.