SC Rules in Favour of Ram Temple after Decades of Ayodhya Dispute

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Crux of the Matter

1. The long-standing verdict of the dispute between Ramjanmbhoomi and Babri Masjid regarding the 2.77 acre land in Ayodhya was given today by a unanimous decision of 5-0 by the Supreme Court bench of five judges – Head CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Justice S Abdul Nazeer, Justice S A Bobde, Justice D Y Chandrachud, and Justice Ashok Bhushan.

2. On November 9th, 2019, the bench announced that the entire disputed land will now be handed over for the construction of the Ayodhya Ram temple.

3. Whereas, a 5-acre land in a prominent location in Ayodhya would be awarded to Muslims for the construction of a mosque.

4. The Apex Court announced the formation of a Trust for the development of the temple at the site, until which the possession of the land will belong to the Centre.

5. The third party of the petition, Nirmohi Akhara, which claimed the shebait rights (managerial rights) of the land, was dismissed on account of time barring. The SC might include them in the Trust.

6. While maintaining the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992 as illegal, the apex court also stated that the religious faith of the people has to be respected as well.

7. The Judges have pronounced the decision also considering the evidence presented by the Archeological Survey of India that said there was a structure built before Babri Masjid.

Curiopedia

Ram Janmabhoomi (“Ram’s Birthplace”) is the name given to the site that is the birthplace of Rama, the 7th avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu. The Ramayana states that the location of Rama’s birthplace is on the banks of the Sarayu river in a city called “Ayodhya”. A section of Hindus claim that the exact site of Rama’s birthplace is where the Babri Masjid once stood in the present-day Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. According to this theory, the Mughals demolished a Hindu shrine that marked the spot, and constructed a mosque in its place. People opposed to this theory state that such claims arose only in the 18th century, and that there is no evidence for the spot being the birthplace of Rama. The political, historical and socio-religious debate over the history and location of the Babri Mosque, and whether a previous temple was demolished or modified to create it, is known as the Ayodhya dispute. More Info

Babri Masjid was a mosque in Ayodhya, India at a site believed to be the birthplace of Hindu deity Rama. It has been a focus of dispute between the Hindu and Muslim communities since the 18th century. According to the mosque’s inscriptions, it was built in 1528–29 by a general Mir Baqi, on orders of the Mughal emperor Babur. The mosque was attacked and demolished by Karsevaks in 1992 and ignited communal violence across the country. The mosque was located on a hill known as Ramkot (“Rama’s fort”). According to Hindus, Baqi destroyed a pre-existing temple of Rama at the site. The existence of the temple itself is a matter of controversy. In 2003, a report by the Archaeological Survey of India suggested that there appears to have existed an old structure at the site. The name “Babri Masjid” comes from the name of the Mughal emperor Babur, who is said to have ordered its construction. Before the 1940s, it was called Masjid-i Janmasthan (“mosque of the birthplace”) including in official documents. More Info

Curated Coverage

1. The Indian Express – Ayodhya Verdict: Full Text

2. NDTV – Vindicated And Blessed, Says BJP Veteran LK Advani On Ayodhya Verdict

3. India Today – Congress welcomes Ayodhya verdict, appeals for peace

4. India Today – Ayodhya verdict: The ASI findings Supreme Court spoke about in its judgment

5. Times of India – Ayodhya verdict: Stand of archaeologists vindicated, says KK Muhammed

#Ayodhya #India #SC