Ayodhya case: Sunni Waqf board argues against Nyas’s civil suit | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Ayodhya case: Sunni Waqf board argues against Nyas’s civil suit

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By
Sep 21, 2019 02:38 AM IST

Attacking the Nyas, Dhavan said the “purpose and direction” of the suit filed by the trust was to remove all the existing structures and destroy it to the extent required.

The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Wakf Board claimed on Friday that the civil suit filed by Ramjanmabhumi Nyas, one of the Hindu parties to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, was a “socio-political vehicle” for the organization that gave a political overtone to the Ayodhya Ram temple campaign.

The senior advocate was addressing a bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and comprising justices SA Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer.(Photo by Biplov Bhuyan/ Hindustan Times)
The senior advocate was addressing a bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and comprising justices SA Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer.(Photo by Biplov Bhuyan/ Hindustan Times)

The board’s counsel, senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, highlighted the political nature of the temple movement and contended: “Thus it is clear that suit no.5 was a socio-political vehicle for the Nyas, pointing to the future and trying to reiterate the past to serve the future.” The board is the main petitioner in the land title suit.

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The senior advocate was addressing a bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and comprising justices SA Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer, which is hearing appeals against the September 30, 2010 verdict of the Allahabad high court dividing the disputed 2.77 acres in Ayodhya into three equal parts to be given to the Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and the organisation representing Ram Lalla, the infant deity.

A large section of Hindus believes that the 16th century Babri mosque was built over a temple dedicated to Hindu warrior-god Ram whose birthplace is also considered to be at the site. A mob of thousands demolished the mosque in December 1992 during a campaign for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site.

Attacking the Nyas, Dhavan said the “purpose and direction” of the suit filed by the trust was to remove all the existing structures and destroy it to the extent required. The karseva (voluntary work) done for the proposed temple was “entirely political” for which the Vishwa Hindu Parishad had collected consecrated stones from across the country, he said.

Dhavan questioned the logic behind the Ramjanmabhumi Nyas even being a petitioner in the case. According to him, the sole purpose was to create not just a juristic personality but to have two legal regimes - one the idol regime and the other bhumi.

The reason for making bhumi a juristic person is so that no one else is able to claim the title. Dhavan argued that only those consequences as applicable to the idol as a juristic person should apply in the case of the bhumi too.

Dhavan read out the translations of the inscriptions found on the Babri Masjid before it was demolished. The inscriptions proved that the mosque was built by Mughal emperor Babur’s commander, Mir Baqi, he claimed.

The bench would reassemble on Monday to continue with the hearing. The CJI told lawyers representing the contesting parties that it would hold the court till 5 pm for that day since the proceedings will start late in the morning owing to the swearing-in-ceremony of four new judges in the top court.

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