At a brainstorming session Pramod Mahajan came up with the idea of a nationwide grand yatra, Narendra Modi concurred and that was the beginning of the Ram Rath Yatra, catapulting the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute on the national scene with LK Advani emerging as the face of Hindu aspirations
MJ Akbar is a member of Rajya Sabha and the author of several books, including Doolally Sahib and the Black Zamindar: Racism and Revenge in the British Raj