The Supreme Court's Ayodhya-linked verdict on mosques has given a shot in the arm to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which swept to power in 2014 on the promise of building the Ram Temple and expects to use the issue as a poll plank ahead of the 2019 elections.
Welcoming the verdict, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said an early resolution of the dispute would be in the benefit of the country. “Majority of the nation wants a solution to this at the earliest. We appeal that this matter is resolved as soon as possible,” Adityanath said.
The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to refer to a five-judge Constitution bench the issue of reconsideration of the observations in its 1994 judgment that a mosque was not integral to Islam, which had arisen during the hearing of Ayodhya land dispute.
In a majority verdict of 2:1, the apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said the civil suit has to be decided on the basis of evidence and the previous verdict has no relevance on it.
In July, the Uttar Pradesh government had told the apex court that some Muslim groups were attempting to delay the hearing in the long-pending case, by seeking the reconsideration of the 1994 verdict observation that a mosque was not integral to Islam.
Echoing the UP chief minister’s sentiments, senior BJP leader Uma Bharti welcomed the verdict and said the Ram Janmabhoomi issue was not a religious dispute.
“This isn't a matter of religious dispute as Ayodhya is an important religious place for Hindus because it is the Ram Janmabhoomi. But for Muslims, it isn't a religious place; for them it is Mecca. This matter was created and it finally got transformed into a land dispute,” she said.
A week ago, BJP president Amit Shah had expressed hope that the movement for building Ram temple in Ayodhya would result in "victory for culture", saying people's sentiments always win in democracy.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) too expressed confidence that a just verdict on the case would be reached at the earliest. “Today, the Supreme Court has decided to hold hearing on the Shri Rama Janmabhoomi case from 29th October by a three member bench. We welcome this decision and are confident that a just verdict will be reached over the case at the earliest," the Sangh said in a statement.
Reacting to the verdict, RSS leader Indresh Kumar said he was confident the judiciary would decide the Ayodhya issue in a speedy manner and alleged that the Congress was against its swift resolution as it wanted to keep "problems alive".
"Like in the case of triple talaq in which India and the world is congratulating the court and the judges for liberating 8.5 crore Muslim women from the clutches of injustice, they will solve this problem and create history in 2018 like they did with triple talaq in 2017," Kumar said. He added that he was confident that people's faith in the judicial system will be strengthened.
Asked about Congress leader Kapil Sibal earlier seeking delaying of the verdict till after polls, he said the party wants the "problems to stay alive". "The Congress is working as a 'Pakistan agent'. There have been so many killings, so many atrocities on our soldiers, but Rahul (Gandhi), Sibal, Congress did not condemn Pakistan, did not demand strict action against Pakistan," he claimed. The Congress should leave the "wrong path" and adopt the path of democracy and patriotism, he said.
During a recent RSS conclave in New Delhi, chief Mohan Bhagwat had said not just Hindus, but others too called Ram the 'Imam-e-Hind' and construction of Ram Temple would remove the major source of tension between Hindus and Muslims.
“A grand mandir for Ram should be built at the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya as soon as possible. Many communities across religions look up to Ram as their ideal. For some he is Imam-e-Hind. As a Sarsanghchalak, I think it is only right that a grand mandir should be built at the Ram Janmabhoomi. The building of Ram mandir will end a major issue of friction between Hindus and Muslims. And if it is done amicably, it will automatically silence those who point fingers at the Muslim community," he had said.
The issue of whether mosque is integral to Islam had cropped up when a three-judge bench headed by CJI Misra was hearing a batch of appeals filed against the Allahabad High Court's 2010 verdict by which the disputed land on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid area was divided into three parts.
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