Modi government eyeing land around ‘disputed site’

Modi government eyeing land around ‘disputed site’

FPJ BureauUpdated: Wednesday, May 29, 2019, 02:59 AM IST
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New Delhi: The Modi government has made a deft move to defuse the bomb ticking away on Ayodhya. It has sought modification of the Apex Court’s 2003 order, so that the land around the disputed structure can be transferred to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, the original owners of the land. The Trust, in turn, can then undertake the construction of the temple.
The Centre has therefore asked the court to end the status quo on the non-disputed land, or the excess land acquired by the government in Ayodhya, to facilitate the transfer.

“We want to give the undisputed land back to the Janmabhoomi Nyas; they want to build a temple there; that land has to be given back to them,” said union minister Prakash Javadekar. “The Centre is not touching the disputed area where the title suit is pending,” explained Javadekar. ,The Supreme Court had ordered status quo on around 67 acres of land that was acquired by the government a year after the 16th mosque was razed. Only 0.313 acres of the land is disputed, says the Centre.

Referring to the earlier order of 2003, the Ministry of Home Affairs has said that the apex court, instead of “confining the order of status quo to the disputed land,” had extended the restraining order to the adjacent acquired land also. ,The Centre has also referred to the Supreme Court’s verdict in the 1994 Ismail Farooqui case, wherein the top court had observed that if the Centre wanted to return the acquired land to its original owners, then it may do so.

The transfer of the undisputed tract will enable the government to circumvent the simmering row which is showing no signs of resolving in the Apex Court. The stalemate could ruin the BJP’s prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The Supreme Court was to hear the Ayodhya title suit on Monday but the hearing was cancelled because one of the judges, Justice S A Bode, was not available on account of medical reasons.

What is weighing on the government’s mind is a 2-day congregation of the Hindu saints convened in Prayagraj at the Ardh Kumbh site from January 31 to discuss the Ayodhya temple’s construction. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who has been publicly threatening the government to pave the way for the temple, is attending the congregation on both days. All eyes will now be glued to the “Dharm Sansad” — as to whether it accepts the undisputed land on offer or insists on building the temple at the exact place where Lord Ram was born.

The VHP was quick to welcome the Centre’s move. Its international working president Alok Kumar, who is himself a senior advocate, said in a statement: “The VHP hopes that the Supreme Court shall expeditiously decide on the application filed by the government.” Javadekar said it would be entirely up to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas to decide what it wants to do with the undisputed land once it is handed over to them.

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