Congress refuses to take a stand on Babri Masjid issue

Congress on Wednesday refused to take a stand on the Ram Janambhoomi and Babri Masjid issue in Ayodhya saying the matter was subjudice.

Congress on Wednesday refused to take a stand on the Ram Janambhoomi and Babri Masjid issue in Ayodhya saying the matter was subjudice.

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The party also talked about a "national consensus" on the issue and pledged to support any such consensus as and when it evolved.

"The matter is subjudice...If there is a national consensus, we will go by it. I do not mean rebuild or relocate (the disputed structure). The party cannot pre-judge a national consensus," party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters in New Delhi.

He was replying to a volley of questions on the stand of the party on the Ayodhya issue and the Liberhan Commission which submitted the probe report on Tuesday into the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

Asked when will a consensus emerge on the issue, Tewari said, "in the life of a nation, there are moments...let us wait".

On whether the government will table the report of the commission in the Budget session of Parliament, he said, "we need to give the government time to peruse the report. It will do whatever is necessary".

To a query whether the Liberhan Commission report would meet the same fate like the Sri Krishna Commission report (on the Mumbai riots), Tewari said it is an issue of debate whether it is mandatory for the government to implement it or not.

"But we expect government to act if a commission has given recommendations to it," he added.