Babri Masjid
New Delhi
The Indian Supreme Court on Saturday ruled that the disputed Babri Mosque land should be given to the Hindus, while ordering the Muslims be allotted an alternate land as a replacement for the destroyed Babri Mosque.
The Indian top court issued the order while reading out its verdict on the ownership of a centuries-old religious site claimed by both majority Hindus and Muslims.
At the beginning of the hearing, Indian Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi announced that the verdict was unanimous. “Muslims should not be deprived of a structure; will get alternative site for masjid”, the Indian Supreme Court said.
The order directed the Indian government that it should within three months formulate a scheme envisaging setting up of trust. It added that the possession of inner and outer courtyards will be handed over to the trust.
The trust will provide for construction of the temple on the disputed land.
It also ordered that a suitable plot of land measuring five acres to be handed over to Sunni Waqf Board either by the Indian government or the state government. The court further gave liberty to Sunni Wakf Board to construct a mosque on the allotted land.
While reading out the verdict, Justice Gogoi said the decision was taken on the basis of the Archaeological Survey of India. Quoting the ASI report, the Bench said, “The underlying structure in the disputed site was not of Islamic origin, however the report does not support whether the temple was demolished.”
