Dhaneshwar Mandal

Dhaneshwar Mandal (D. Mandal) is a retired Professor in Ancient History, Culture and Archaeology at Allahabad University. He is widely known for his strong position against the excavations at the Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Quotes

Quotes from the Judgment from Honorable Justice Agarwal, 2010

Allahabad High Court (30 9 2010). "Decision of Hon'ble Special Full Bench hearing Ayodhya Matters". Vol 15.

• Prof. D Mandal retired from the Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, Allahabad University, who was appointed on adhoc basis as Lecturer in 1972 but prior thereto he claimed to have worked as exploration assistant since 1960. Initially he appeared as an expert to depose that there is no archaeological evidence to show either existence of any temple at the disputed site or that a temple was demolished before construction of the disputed structure. The statements made by him in cross examination shows the shallowness of his knowledge in the subject:

• “I never visited Ayodhya” (E.T.C.)

• “I do not have any specific knowledge of history of Babur's reign.”

• “ Whatsoever little knowledge I have about Babur is only that Babur was the ruler of the 16 th century. Except for this, I do not have any knowledge of Babur.

• Prof. Romila Thapar is influenced by Marxism.”

• “It is true that I have not seen the disputed building as yet. I did not make any physical investigation of stone used in inscriptions carved out in the disputed building. Likewise, I also did not make physical investigation of basalt stone.”

• “ I know Dr. Suvira Jaiswal too. I have talks with her also. . . . . . From her articles it appears that she is influenced by Marxism.” (E.T.C.)

• “I know Prof. Romila Thapar too. She is also influenced by Marxism. . .

• “It is true that I am of communistic thought.”(E.T.C.)

• A bare perusal of the above makes it clear that he virtually made a critical analysis of the book that is Paper No.118C1/36, a small booklet published by Prof. B.B.Lal and beyond that made no further or other study/research etc.. Only on that basis, he wrote a book, and analyzed the belief of the people whether the disputed structure was constructed after demolishing a temple or that there existed any temple of 11 th or 12 th century which was demolished before its construction.

• • Allahabad High Court (30 August 2010). Decision of Hon'ble Special Full Bench hearing Ayodhya Matters. Retrieved on 2014-12-27. Vol 15 also quoted partially in Jain, M. (2013). Rama and Ayodhya.