Arguments conclude in decades-old dispute over
RamJanambhomi-Babri Masjid Case: verdict reserved
The Supreme Court of India after 40 days on Wednesday, October 16 concluded hearing the case related to the decades old dispute over RamJanambhomi-Babri Masjid at Ayodhya between the Hindu and the Muslim communities. It has reserved verdict which is expected ahead of superannuation of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on November 17. He heads the five-member Constitutional bench. The SC has also asked all the parties to submit within three days written submissions over relief sought from the court against the Allahabad High Court’s 2010 verdict which said that he disputed site should be divided into three equal parts among Ram Lalla, Nirmohi Akhara and Sunni Wakf Board. As soon as the arguments in the case began today, CJI Ranjan Gogoi said that the hearing in the case would end 5 PM. today “This matter is going to be over by 5 pm IST today. Enough is enough,” CJI Gogoi said.The daily hearings in the politically sensitive case have been continuing since August 6 when the mediation process failed to yield any result and October 17 was fixed as the deadline for both the parties to conclude their arguments. The court witnessed heated exchanges between the two sides during the hearing. At one point, CJI Ranjan Gogoi even warned that the judges will walk out if the decorum of the court is not maintained. The CJI’s angrily reacted after senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, representing the Muslim sides in the case, tore maps and other documents handed over to him by counsel representing the Hindu Mahasabha. Arguing on behalf of the Hindu party or Ram Lalla Virajman, senior advocate K Parasaran on Tuesday said there are numerous mosques in Ayodhya where Muslims can offer prayers but the birthplace of Ram cannot be changed.“Muslims can pray in any other mosque as well. There are 55-60 mosques in Ayodhya alone. But for Hindus, it is the birthplace of Lord Ram. We can’t change the birthplace,” Parasaran, a former advocate general, argued in the apex court.. Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and SA Nazeer are the other members of the bench. Muslim religious scholars and leaders said on Wednesday that the Supreme Court’s decision in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, whatever it may be, should be accepted by both sides of the dispute. Meanwhile in Ayodhya, prohibitory order has been promulgated and leaves of all policemen on field have been cancelled in Uttar Pradesh till November 30, 2019 as hearing in Ayodhya Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid case completed. The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday issued an order saying officials on “field duty” will not be granted leave till November 30.ANI says The decision was taken on the last day of the Supreme Court hearing in the Ayodhya land dispute case. The official order, however, attributed the decision to the festival season.(edited by Pranab Kumar Chakravarty)
