Status quo on Ayodhya correct conclusion: PM

Appealing to all Indians to maintain peace after the Allahabad Court passed a verdict on the disputed Ayodhya land on Thursday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said status quo until Supreme Court takes up the case is a ?correct conclusion?.

Treading cautiously on the communal minefield, a three-member Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Thursday passed a verdict upholding the Hindu claim that the disputed site is the birthplace of Lord Rama but ruled that the land would be divided into three parts with one third going to the Muslims.

?As you know, the judgement in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suits has been pronounced by the Special Bench of the High Court of Allahabad. This is the culmination of a long judicial process involving a sensitive matter on which different sections of the people have held different views,? said the PM in a statement.

?The orders delivered by the three Honourable Judges need to be examined carefully. The High Court itself has directed that the ?Status Quo as prevailing till date shall be maintained for a period of three months?. Besides, the High Court has granted leave to appeal to the Supreme Court.?

?It has been pointed out by many jurists that complex issues were involved in the suits. By three separate orders, the Honourable Judges have given their findings on each of these issues and, in the operative part, moulded the reliefs to the parties in a particular manner. The correct conclusion, at this stage, is that the status quo will be maintained until the cases are taken up by the Supreme Court,? Singh said.

Saying that he has ?full faith? in the people of India, the PM added: ? I also have full confidence in the traditions of secularism, brotherhood and tolerance of our great country. I know that often it is only a few mischief makers who create divisions in our society. I would appeal to my countrymen to be vigilant and not let such people succeed in disrupting peace and harmony. You should be particularly careful with regard to rumours that disruptive elements could propagate to create ill-will between communities.?

He appealed to all sections of people to accept the verdict and maintain peace.

?My appeal to all sections of the people is to maintain peace and tranquility and to show respect for all religions and religious beliefs in the highest traditions of Indian culture. Let me also state that Government on its part remains fully committed to upholding the rule of law and maintaining peace, order and harmony.

?It is my hope that the response of the people of India to the judgement will be respectful, dignified and do our country proud,? the PM said.

Rejecting the Sunni Waqf Board and Nirmohi Akhara?s title suit, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court on Thursday said Hindu deity Lord Ram was born indeed on the disputed Ayodhya site, bringing a temporary closure on the 60-year-old dispute since the judgement can now be challenged in the Supreme Court.

“The disputed site is the birth place of Lord Ram. Place of birth is a juristic person and is a deity. It is personified as the spirit of divine worshipped as birth place of Lord Rama as a child. Spirit of divine ever remains present every where at all times for any one to invoke at any shape or form in accordance with his own aspirations and it can be shapeless and formless also,” the summary of the judgement for the media said.

The court, on whether the disputed building was a mosque and its time of construction, said: “The disputed building was constructed by Babar, the year is not certain but it was built against the tenets of Islam. Thus, it cannot have the character of a mosque.”

“The disputed structure was constructed on the site of old structure after demolition of the same. The Archaeological Survey of India has proved that the structure was a massive Hindu religious structure,” the court said.

The Court, in a majority 2-1 ruling, however, directed that the disputed land be divided into three parts ? for the Hindus, Muslims and Nirmohi Akhara ? to ensure communal harmony.

On whether the idols of Lord Rama were placed in the building on the night of December 22/23rd, 1949, the court said: “The idols were placed in the middle dome of the disputed structure in the intervening night of 22/23.12.1949.”

?The High Court has upheld that Lord Ram was born indeed at the place where the Hindus claim he was born,? Ravi Shankar Prasad, lawyer of the Hindu group and senior BJP leader, said.

Directing that the disputed 2.7 acre of land be divided into three parts, the Court said that the portion where the makeshift shrine of Lord Ram has been set up shall go to the Hindus, Prasad said.

One-third of the land will be given to the Muslims, while another one-third will be handed to Nirmohi Akhara, the Court added.

But status quo of the site would be maintained till it was divided, which will be done in three months, the Court ruled.

?For three months do not disturb the status quo. The part under the central dome is Lord Rama’s birthplace,? K N Bhatt, another lawyer of the Hindu group, informed.

?I appeal to the Muslims to accept the verdict,” Prasad said.

Zafaryab Jilani, the counsel of Sunni Waqf Board, said: “Mosque and temple must coexist is the judgement.”

The Sunni Waqf Board said it will move to the Supreme Court against the high court verdict.

?We will appeal to the Supreme Court for possession of the entire land,? Jilani told at a press conference.

Union Law minister Veerappa Moily said, ?Unless we get full version we will not comment. Let the judgement come in full text, then we will say.?

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has already huddled for a crucial meet in New Delhi immediately after the verdict was out.

The country?s principle Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its sister organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will also hold speartae meetings later on Thursday evening.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, reacting to the verdict, said, ?This is no one’s victory or loss. Remain calm. Don’t hurt any community or anyone.?

Indicating that the BJP was happy with the judgement, party leader Prakash Javadekar said, ?We will issue a release on this positive development later.?

Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi too welcomed the verdict.

?There is no place for religious frenzy. This is nobody?s loss or gain. The verdict will act as a catalyst for India?s unity,? Modi told reporters.

After a 60-year-wait, the three-judge Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court delivered the verdict on the Ayodhya title suit by a majority 2-1.

The three-member bench comprises of Justices S U Khan, Sudhir Agarwal and Dharam Veer Sharma.

The two contending sides are the Sunni Waqf Board representing the Muslims and Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha representing the Hindus.

Massive security arrangements had been made across the country, apprehending communal flare-ups even as the Prime Minister and other political leaders appealed for calm and peace after the verdict.

Over 2,000 people were killed in the riots that followed the demolition of the Babri Masjid by Hindu kar sevaks (religious volunteers) on December 6, 1992, who claimed the Masjid was built after demolishing a Ram temple in 1528.