UPSC Prelims 2007 Q5: Art & Culture – Literature & Languages
Who among the following wrote the book "Ayodhya : 6 December 1992"?
- (a) Chandra Shekar
- (b) P. V. Narasimha Rao
- (c) Jaswant Singh
- (d) Arun Shourie
Answer: (b) P. V. Narasimha Rao
Explanation
Author of "Ayodhya: 6 December 1992"
| Candidate | Actual role |
|---|---|
| Chandra Shekhar | Former PM, not this book's author |
| P. V. Narasimha Rao | PM during the demolition; wrote this book |
| Jaswant Singh | Wrote other political memoirs, not this one |
| Arun Shourie | BJP ideologue/author, not this book's author |
This book was written by P. V. Narasimha Rao, who was Prime Minister of India when the Babri Masjid was demolished on 6 December 1992. Published posthumously in 2006, it gives his first-hand account of the events.
Answer: (b) P. V. Narasimha Rao.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Chandra Shekhar was a former PM but not this book's author.
- (b) CORRECT. P. V. Narasimha Rao, PM at the time of the demolition, wrote the book.
- (c) Incorrect. Jaswant Singh wrote other political memoirs, not this one.
- (d) Incorrect. Arun Shourie is a BJP ideologue/author, not this book's author.
Key point
"Ayodhya: 6 December 1992" was written by P. V. Narasimha Rao, PM at the time of the Babri Masjid demolition.
Remember
"Ayodhya: 6 December 1992" — author: P. V. Narasimha Rao.
Common mistakes
- Confusing P. V. Narasimha Rao with other contemporaneous political authors.
- Not knowing the book was published posthumously (Rao died in 2004, book published 2006).
- Mixing this title up with other Ayodhya-related political memoirs.
Exam tip
P. V. Narasimha Rao was PM during the 1992 demolition — link the book directly to his own tenure.
Sources
- P. V. Narasimha Rao — Ayodhya: 6 December 1992 (Penguin Viking, 2006)
- Vinay Sitapati — Half-Lion: How P. V. Narasimha Rao Transformed India (Penguin, 2016)