In a major set back to ambitious Hindutva groups outlets the Supreme Court declining an urgent hearing of the Ayodhya land dispute case, said Monday an appropriate bench will decide in January when to hear the politically sensitive case, sparking demands by Hindutva groups for a law to begin construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site.
“We have our own priorities. Whether the matter will be heard in January, February or March, the appropriate bench will decide,” the court said after a brief hearing.
Observing that the apex court has its “own priorities”, the CJI said the future course of hearing on multiple appeals filed against the Allahabad High Court verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute will be decided by the “appropriate bench” that will be constituted.
“We will fix the date of hearing of the Ayodhya dispute case before the appropriate bench in first week of January,” said the bench, which also comprised Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate CS Vaidyanathan, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government and deity Ramlala respectively, sought early listing of the appeals in the case after referring to their long pendency.
As many as 14 appeals have been filed against the high court judgement, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77 acre land be partitioned equally among three parties — the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
Amid the clamour for an ordinance or alternatively bringing in a legislation in the Winter session of Parliament, the Congress called for restraint and awaiting the Supreme Court verdict without linking the issue to “votebank politics”.
The winter session is likely begin in the first half of December.
The Centre said it had full faith in the judiciary and fully respects it.Outlining the government’s stand, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, at the same time, said a lot people in the country want the case to be heard quickly.
The RSS said the Supreme Court should take an early decision on the Ram Janmabhoomi issue and that if there are any hurdles in the path of Ram temple construction at the site, the government should bring a law soon.
“The Supreme Court should take an early decision and if there is any difficulty, the Government should make a law to remove hurdles in the construction of the Ram temple to grant land at the Ram Janmabhoomi site,” Arun Kumar, the RSS spokesman, said.
BJP’s estranged ally Shiv Sena also stressed that the Ram temple is an issue of faith and demanded that the government come out with an Ordinance soon.
Opposing any ordinance, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaddudin Owaisi dared the government to take this route, saying the BJP refers to the Ram Temple again and again. “If they have the courage, they should bring an Ordinance on Ram Temple construction. They are trying to scare us about bringing an Ordinance, why don’t they bring it,” he said.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, however, observed that it was a familiar story every five years before the elections when the BJP tries to polarise the issue.
“The Congress’s stated position is that the matter is before the Supreme Court and everyone should wait until the Supreme Court decides… We should not jump the gun,” he told reporters.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said Hindus cannot wait eternally for a court judgement on the Ayodhya land dispute case and asked the government to bring a law for building a Ram temple.
