Top court ruled that a five acre of alternative land in a suitable prominent place will be allotted to Muslims.
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The Indian Supreme Court (SC) announced its verdict on Saturday on the decades-old disputed Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh and ruled that Ram Janmabhoomi Nayas is the owner of the disputed land.
Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi read out the verdict. The top court ruled that the disputed Babri Mosque land be given to the Hindus and ordered that Muslims be allotted an alternate land as a replacement for the destroyed Babri Mosque.
The bench ordered that the government formulate a scheme within three months under the Ayodhya Act 1993 to set up a trust. Till the trust is formed, the ownership of the site will rest with the Centre, the bench said.
The supreme court noted that the demolition of Babri Mosque in 1992 was a violation of law. It also ruled that Muslims will be awarded five acre of alternative land in a suitable, prominent place.
Reading out its judgment, the Indian top court also said that Allahabad High Court was wrong in dividing the disputed site into three parts. The top court said that it is clearly established that while Muslims offered prayers inside the inner courtyard, the same was done by Hindus in the outer court yard.
https://www.brecorder.com/2019/11/05/541574/indian-muslims-anxious-as-sc-prepares-to-rule-on-destroyed-babri-mosque/
However, the SC said that is adequate material in Archaeological Survey of India report to conclude that the Babri Masjid was not constructed on vacant land. "There was a structure underlying the disputed structure. The underlying structure was not an Islamic structure,"the bench said.
SC’s Ayodhya Judgment is notable because:
It highlights that any dispute can be amicably solved in the spirit of due process of law.
It reaffirms the independence, transparency and farsightedness of our judiciary.
It clearly illustrates everybody is equal before the law.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 9, 2019
The security forces were on high alert as the SC announced its verdict in the case. The SC had also restricted entry of persons in the court, Indian media reported. Ahead of the verdict, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed for peace. The Uttar Pradesh government has also ordered all the schools and colleges to remain closed until Monday.
A five-judge bench of the SC had been hearing day-to-day hearings to resolve the case. Hindus and Muslims have for decades been divided over the Babri mosque in Ayodhya. According to documents produced by Muslim groups in court, the mosque was built by Mughal emperor Babur.
While the Hindu group claims the mosque was built after a temple dedicated to the Hindu god was destroyed by Muslim invaders. They said that they want to build a new temple to Hindu god Ram on the site, which they revere as his birthplace.
Tension soared between the two groups when in 1992 Hindu zealots destroyed the mosque, sparking religious violence that killed 2,000 people. In 2010, the Allahabad High Court ruled that the disputed land should be divided into three parts two for Hindus and one for Muslims.
However, this verdict was challenged by the two communities represented by Hindu Maha Sabha, the Sunni Waqf Board and the Nirmohi Akhara in the SC.