SC decision to begin hearing in Ram temple issue welcomed

The RSS and Ayodhya temple proponents on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to have day-to-day hearings in the Ramjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute after it had held that the mediation efforts in the matter had failed.

Head priest of the make-shift Ram Janmbhoomi temple, Acharya Satyendra Das, on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision and said this was what everybody wanted since the very start.

"There can be no better thing than this. For years every party has been demanding that only the Court should decide the Ram Janmbhoomi temple land dispute. The time which was given for mediation was lost, I thank the Supreme Court for agreeing to hear the matter continuously from August 6," Das told ANI here.

Earlier today, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, who was heading a Constitution bench in the apex court, said, "We have received the mediation report. The mediation panel has not been able to achieve any final settlement. The hearing of the case will be on a day-to-day basis, hearing begins from August 6."

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh too welcomed the decision by the apex court. "We welcome the SC's decision to hold regular hearings from August 6, we also express the confidence that the overdrawn matter will get resolved in a set time frame. We are hopeful that the legal issues before the construction of the temple will be resolved and the temple building process can begin soon," the organiastion said in a tweet.

The decision by the SC also drew a positive response from a Muslim cleric in Ayodhya who welcomed the decision by the apex court but also expressed disappointment that no decision could be arrived at by the mediation committee.

"We were hopeful that the matter will be resolved through mediation, but it is heartbreaking that it could be achieved. We, however, welcome the decision of the Supreme Court that the Ayodhya case will be heard 3 days in a week, starting August 6. Already much politicisation of the issue has been done, we hope it gets resolved soon," said Muslim cleric Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali.

Mohammed Iqbal Ansari, the main litigant in the land dispute, too expressed the wish that the matter should be resolved soon and said he will welcome the SC judgement which will come.

"The matter has been dragged for 70 years, it is high time that the politicisation ends and harmony between the Hindus and Muslims is restored in the country. We will comply with the decision of the court whatever it may be," Ansari said.

Bablu Khan, a supporter of the Ram Janmbhoomi temple cause, said, "The failure of the mediation committee to arrive at a conclusion is a disappointment but the court will resolve the matter soon. I appeal to the Supreme Court to give the ruling in favour of the Ram Mandir as soon as possible, the day it happens, Muslims will come out in large numbers to construct the temple."

Zafryab Jilani, Convenor of the Babri Masjid Action Committee, said, "The hearing in the suit number five and three will begin from August 6, therefore, the other side (VHP+Nirmohi Akhada) will begin the discussion and we will reply to it.