PM lauds Sunni Waqf Board for distancing from Sibal's statement

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated the Sunni Waqf Board for disassociating themselves from the statement of senior lawyer and Congress leader Kapil Sibal in connection with the long-standing Ayodhya matter.

"The Sunni Waqf Board must be congratulated for their brave stand on the matter and disassociating themselves from the statement of Kapil Sibal ji," the Prime Minister said while addressing a public gathering here.

The board today disassociated itself from the statement made by Sibal, who had been representing it in the Supreme Court.

Sibal had, yesterday, demanded for the next hearing in the case to be held only in July 2019 after the completion of the next Lok Sabha polls, citing political ramifications.

The Supreme Court yesterday deferred hearing in the case for February 8, 2018.

Following this, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Amit Shah, in a press briefing, took a potshot at the Congress Party and its vice president, Rahul Gandhi, for adopting 'double standard' in the matter.

The Babri Masjid was built by Mughal emperor Babur in Ayodhya in 1528.

The Hindus, however, claim that a Ram temple that originally stood there was demolished to construct the mosque.

Citing this, Hindu zealots demolished the mosque on December 6, 1992, triggering communal riots in various parts of the country.

Meanwhile, today, a Delhi court will deliver its verdict in connection with the terrorist attack on the makeshift Ram Temple in Ayodhya in 2005.