Assertion: A number of events culminated in the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya known as Babri Masjid in December 1990.
Reason: The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991 led to a change in the leadership of Congress party.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
A number of events culminated in the demolition of the disputed structure at Ayodhya (known as Babri Masjid) in December 1992. This event symbolised and triggered various changes in the politics of the country and intensified debates about the nature of Indian nationalism and secularism. These developments are associated with the rise of the BJP and the politics of ‘Hindutva’.
The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991 led to a change in leadership of the Congress party. He was assassinated by a Sri Lankan Tamil linked to the LTTE when he was on an election campaign tour in Tamil Nadu.