New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Saturday directed the Centre to form within three months a trust which will build a Ram temple at the 2.77 acre land where Babri Masjid stood till 1992 and also directed the government to allot 05 acres of land to Muslims at a prominent place in Ayodhya.
The judgement has received a mixed response with Hindus hailing the judgement while Muslims and others expressing dissatisfaction. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), one of the petitioners, is conetmplating a review petition in the apex court.
The Centre shall make suitable provisions by handing over the land to the trust comprising of Hindu parties, said the bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. The court said the title of the land can be decided only on legal advice.
The Sunni Waqf Board, which was a party to the 7-decade-old title suit, should be given an alternate five-acre land at a prominent place in Ayodhya for construction of a mosque, the 5-member bench, which also comprised of Chief Justice-designate Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde, Justice Ashok Bhushan, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, said in a unanimous judgement.
The top court ruled that the Allahabad High Court verdict of 2010, giving land to the Sunni Waqf Board and Nirmohi Akhara, was wrong. It also rejected the claim of Nirmohi Akhara of being a 'shebait' (a devotee who serves the deity).
The Supreme Court, however, said that in the board of trustees, appropriate representation should be accorded to Nirmohi Akhara, even though its suit was dismissed.
The bench upheld the report of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which concluded that a temple existed at the disputed site.
There is no dispute that the Hindus believed Ram was born at the disputed site, the Supreme Court said. 'Ram Chabutra' and 'Sita Rasoi' were worshipped by Hindus before the British came, the judgement said.
The court said travelogue and gazetteers cannot be the basis of adjudication of the title and that the nature of worship offered by Hindus over the years proves that they had always believed that Lord Ram was at the site.
Documents of 1856-57 show that Hindus were not obstructed from worshipping there, it said. Outer courtyard has been under exclusive possession of Hindus over the years, the court said.
The bench however said Babri Masjid was not built demolishing any temple, though ASI evidence established that there was a temple on the site.
The Supreme Court also said that Hindu idols were placed in the mosques first time in December 1949. It also said demolition of Babri Masjid was illegeal.
Babri Masjid, the 17th century mosque, was demolished on December 06, 1992 by Hindu extremists in the presence of top BJP, RSS and other right-wing leaders.
Zafaryab Jilani on Saturday said they were not satisfied with the Supreme Court court verdict that has ruled to give the disputed land in Ayodhya to the Hindus for a temple and that Muslims be given five acres of alternate land for a mosque.
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