Even-handed judgement calms nerves

Ruling carves Ayodhya property three ways.

Ayodhya belongs to Hindus and Muslims, both. This was the verdict of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, which gave its judgement on the title suit of the disputed structure in Ayodhya. The verdict was that the area that the Hindus claimed and continue to worship as the birthplace of Ram belongs to Hindus (The Hindu Mahasabha, Ram Janmabhumi Nyas and the Nirmohi Akhara), the area outside the temple belongs to the Muslims (the Sunni Waqf Board) and the adjoining area belongs to the Nirmohi Akhara.

The verdict, however, stayed all ownership claims for three months to enable various parties to appeal in the Supreme Court. The Bench comprised Justices SU Khan, Sudhir Agarwal and DV Sharma.

According to Chief Standing Counsel of the UP government, Devendra Upadhaya, two judges – namely, Justices Khan and Agarwal – ruled that the disputed property should be equally divided (one third each) among the three parties. Justice Sharma has been categorical that the land belongs to Hindus and has rejected the claim of the Sunni Waqf Board.
 

WHAT HAPPENS NOW

* Hindu Mahasabha and Sunni Central Board of Wakfs to appeal in Supreme Court

* All-India Muslim Personal Law Board to meet, All-India Ulema Council to wait for outcome

* Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to draw up plans for ‘grand temple’ at Ayodhya site

* Vishwa Hindu Parishad says it won’t escalate mobilisation plan for construction of temple

However, the entire bench was of the view that the central dome of the disputed structure goes to the Hindu Mahasabha, where the idols were installed in 1949 and again in 1992 after the demolition of the Babri Mosque. The Sita Rasoi and Ram Chabootara have been given to the Nirmohi Akhara.

The dispute over the case dates back to 1885, when Mahant Raghbar Das first requested the British for permission to set up a temple on the Ram Chabutara (adjoining the structure claimed as the Babri Masjid). Later, in 1949, some people surreptitiously placed idols under the central dome and started puja. The puja continued, but because the Hindu groups began fighting among themselves over the title suit, the property went into the hands of a receiver. Now, the Nirmohi Akhara, another Hindu body entered the fray claiming the temple and the adjoining land. The Sunni Waqf board said the land was originally a mosque and graveyard.

On October 10, 1991, the Kalyan Singh government in Uttar Pradesh acquired 2.77 acres of land around the disputed area. After the demolition on 6 December 1992, the Narasimha Rao government at the Centre, with the consent of Parliament, took over some 67 acres of land all around the disputed area and sought a Presidential reference to the Supreme Court to find out whether a Hindu place of worship predated the construction of the masjid. The Supreme Court refused to answer the reference.

On Thursday’s verdict means that the Supreme Court will once again be asked to decide whether the ownership claims of the parties are valid and correct.