Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday recalled the mature role played by the government, political parties and civil society groups following the 2010 decision of the Allahabad High Court in the Ayodhya land dispute case.
PM Modi’s comment, on his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio address, comes just days before the Supreme Court’s decision in a decades-old case. The apex court is expected to pronounce its verdict by November 17 when Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi retires. .
In its verdict on September 30, 2010, the Allahabad high court had ordered that the 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among the three parties —the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
The Prime Minister said in the days leading to the Allahabad HC verdict some vested interests were trying to exploit the situation. “Some loud mouths had made irresponsible statements for their personal benefit,” Modi said.
PM Modi praised the maturity being shown by government, political parties, civil society after the high court’s verdict. He said the “dignity of the judiciary” was upheld by all sections after the court ruling and there was no tension reported anywhere.
“We must remember these things, they give us strength. It signifies how voices of unity can strengthen the country,” he added.
A five-judge constitutional bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi ended the marathon hearing of the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case last week. The bench of the top court has heard the case for 40 days, the second longest oral hearing in the court’s history.
The lawyers representing Ram Lalla Virajman, the deity, had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court saying that the disputed site must be handed over to them and the claims of the Muslim side and the Nirmohi Akhara be dismissed.
On October 16, the top court bench had allowed the Hindu and Muslim parties to file affidavits, in case they wanted to mould the reliefs (narrow down the arguments and tell the court the specific points a party wants it to adjudicate on) they were seeking from the court.
In its affidavit, the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha said that as the court has been called on to decide an issue concerning history and fact for which no direct evidence has been given by either side, the court can adopt a new method to decide the case.
Muslim parties have urged the court to bear in mind that its decision will “affect generations to come”, and to ensure that it reflects India’s constitutional values.
The parties filed their petition for relief in sealed cover. Following objections against the admissions in sealed cover by lawyers of Hindu parties, the counsel for the Muslim side made their plea public.
