Table of Contents
- Respect for the rule of law and courts have to be maintained for a democracy to succeed in long term.
- Law must stand apart over politics, religion and beliefs: SC
- 5-judge constitutional bench – CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Ashok Bhushan, DY Chandrachud, SA Bobde and S Abdul Nazeer.
What is the Ayodhya Dispute?
- Lord Ram, one of the most revered gods in Hinduism, was born in Ayodhya and later ruled over his kingdom from here.
- A temple is said to be built in the early medieval ages to commemorate his birth place (Janmabhoomi)
- 1528 – A mosque was built, purportedly at the same site by destroying the Janmabhoomi temple, by Mir Baqi – a general of Babur
- 1850-85: First recorded incident of violence in Ayodhya.
- Mahant Raghubar Das files plea in Faizabad district court seeking permission to build a canopy outside the disputed structure
- Dec, 1949: Idols of Rama, Sita placed inside the temple by unknown persons.
- 1950: Gopal singh Visharad files suit in court for right to worship the idols; Paramahansa Ramachandra Das files suit seeking to continue worship.
- 1959: Nirmohi Akhara files suit seeking possession of the site
- 1961: UP Sunni Central Waqf Board files suit for possession.
- 1986: Local court allows opening of gates, allows Hindus to offer prayers.
- Dec 6, 1992: Babri Masjid structure demolished by karsevaks
- Sep 30, 2010: Allahabad HC ordered a three-way division of disputed area between Ram Lalla, Nirmohi Akhara and Sunni Central Wakf Board.
- Jan 2019: CJI Gogoi sets up a five-judge bench to hear the case
The Land title suit/dispute
- Govt acquired 2.77 acre of the disputed site (total 67 acre) in 1991 for ‘tourism’ purposes and leased it to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas (trust)
The Allahabad High court judgement
Three way division of disputed site between –
- Ram Lalla (Ram Janmabhoomi nyas) – central shrine where idol is placed
- Nirmohi Akhara – Sita rasoi and Ram Chabutra (peripheral structures)
- Sunni Waqf board – Rest
In Supreme court
- 2011 – None of the parties were satisfied by the verdict and all of them appealed in the Supreme Court
- 2019 September – The hearing in the Ayodhya case took place for 40 days continuously in the Supreme Court on and concluded on October 16 2019.
The Supreme Court Order
- Unanimous decision by 5 judges
- Nirmohi Akhara claim dismissed
- Shia Waqf board claim dismissed
Court observations –
- ASI excavation proves that Babri Masjid not constructed on vacant land
- There was a structure underlying the disputed structure
- The underlying structure was not Islamic
- Hindus had been offering prayers just outside the structure
- Hindus always believed birthplace of Lord Ram was in inner courtyard of mosque
- Clearly established that Muslims offered prayer inside inner courtyard and Hindus offered prayers in outer courtyard,
Who will get the disputed site ?
- Title of the land given to Ramlalla viraajman
- Disputed site to be give to Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas
- Centre to frame scheme within 3 months and set up a trust for construction of a temple.
- Muslims to get another place for building Mosque
- Government to allot 5 acres of prominent land to Sunni Waqf Board