Sibal: praying doesn't mean ownership

Union Minister and Congress leader, Kapil Sibal, has said offering prayers at a particular site does not entitle a community or individual to claim ownership rights.

Union Minister and Congress leader, Kapil Sibal, has said offering prayers at a particular site does not entitle a community or individual to claim ownership rights.

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In an apparent reference to the Allahabad High Court verdict on the Ayodhya issue, Sibal said he hoped the Supreme Court would settle the matter.

Sibal said, "It may give you the right to continue to pray there, but not possession. Maybe, maybe not, this is what the Supreme Court will have to decide." The minister was participating in CNBC’s India Tonight programme.

Sibal said the Constitution allowed the citizens to go and pray anywhere.

The minister said, this however, did not mean possession. "The gurudwara may actually own the land, in which case they possess it and have ownership ... But when you talk about Babri Masjid or you talk about a temple or prayers in 19th century or 15th/16th/17th century, what is the concept?’ he remarked.

Elaborating with an example, he said, "Supposing — and I know of many instances where people worship…go to a Peepal tree and worship underneath. Right? And some sadhu sits there under the tree and thousands of people come and worship. So who is in possession?"