Respect SC decision to form mediation panel on Ayodhya dispute: Cong

The Congress Friday said it respects the decision of the Supreme Court to refer the politically-sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case for mediation, and added that it should be final and binding on all parties.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala accused the BJP of politicising the "faith-based issue for political gains for the past 27 years".

"Since 1992, BJP has kept the issue alive so as to be used in every election for political vote garnering and relegate the Ram Mandir issue to the annals of history post-election -- to be revived again in the next election. We sincerely hope that people of India will see through the duplicity and doublespeak of BJP," he said.

In a statement, Surjewala said, "The Congress has unequivocally maintained that the decision of the Supreme Court in the Ram Mandir case should be final & binding on all parties. We respect the decision to constitute a mediation panel."