SC verdict on Ayodhya today

TNN Bureau. Updated: 11/9/2019 10:11:38 AM Front Page

Section 144 imposed across J&K; edu instns closed, temples-mosques’ security upped

JAMMU: After seven decades of a protracted legal battle, the Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce its verdict in the politically sensitive case of Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute in Ayodhya at 10:30 am on Saturday, even as elaborate security arrangements have been made across the country while political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and religious leaders urged people to maintain peace and respect the verdict.
Like other parts of the country, restrictions have been imposed in all parts of Jammu and Kashmir while schools and colleges will remain closed on Saturday.
"Restrictions under Section 144 of the CrPC—banning gathering of 4 or more persons, have been imposed in Jammu and Kashmir from Friday midnight in view of the SC verdict as a precautionary measure," DGP Dilbag Singh informed.
The Information department said that all schools and educational institutions will remain closed on Saturday, while all the examinations scheduled for Saturday have been postponed.
The administration has beefed up security for venerable places of worship and has ordered for closure of wine shops as well as banning the bursting of firecrackers.
The DGP said necessary security measures have been put in place to maintain law and order.
“CRPF personnel and policemen have been deployed in all the districts to keep a watch over the situation,” he said, appealing the people to maintain peace and harmony.
The dispute that stretched over a century and a half is likely to be put to rest finally on Saturday-- a non-working day for courts-- when the 5-members constitution bench of Supreme Court will announce its verdict on the title suit of the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute.
A notice regarding the pronouncement of judgement by a Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, was uploaded on the official website of the Supreme Court late Friday evening.
The bench, also comprising of Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer, on October 16 had reserved the judgement after marathon hearing of 40 days.
Hours before the notice, the CJI in the pre-noon held a meeting with Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Rajendra Kumar Tiwari and DGP Om Prakash Singh who apprised him about the security arrangements made to maintain law and order in the state.
The meeting was held in the CJI's chamber, sources said.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made across the country ahead of the judgement.
Authorities said social media posts will be monitored to ensure that no attempt is made to vitiate the atmosphere by spreading fake or inflammatory content. Arrangements have also been made to ensure the safety and security of religious places across the country.
The Uttar Pradeh government ordered closure of all educational and training institutes till Monday.
Late Friday night, Prime Minister Modi said the Ayodhya verdict will not be a matter of victory or loss for anyone.
"I appeal to my countrymen that it should be our priority to strengthen our tradition of maintaining peace and harmony. In the run up to Ayodhya verdict, efforts have been made by various people and organisations to maintain harmony. We have to maintain amity even after the verdict," Modi said in his appeal.
The demolition of the Babri Masjid at the disputed site on December 6, 1992, had sparked communal riots.
A multi-layered security has been put in place in the temple town of Ayodhya, turning it into a fortress with deployment of 60 companies (90-125 personnel each) of PAC and paramilitary forces. Vehicle checking has been intensified near the Ramjanmabhoomi police station, "karyashala" of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas and other parts of the town.
Drones and CCTV cameras are also being used to monitor the situation.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed law and order in each district and appealed for peace.
Similar review meetings were held in other states following a general advisory issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday. The Centre has sent around 4,000 paramilitary personnel to Uttar Pradesh. The railway police has cancelled leaves of its personnel and stepped up vigil at 78 major stations.
Clerics and priests of various faiths also renewed their appeal to people to honour the Supreme Court verdict on the dispute and respect religious sentiments.
"We should all respect the judgement. We should exercise restraint and not hurt religious sentiments of any community," the imam of the Lucknow Eidgah, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, told.
He urged all clerics to tell Muslims "not to feel afraid and repose their faith in the Constitution and the judiciary".
All India Shia Personal Law Board spokesperson Maulana Yasoob Abbas said, "Every person irrespective of any religion must honour and respect the judgement of the Supreme Court."
Priest at the Dakshinmukhi Hanuman Mandir in Hazratganj, Sarvesh Shukla, said, "My only appeal to the people is to honour and respect the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case."
UP Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) PV Ramasastry said adequate forces have been provided to Ayodhya and all sensitive districts of the state in good measure.
"Stress has been laid on confidence-building measures," he said, adding that police officials have reached out to different sections of society dharma gurus, traders and academics. "The aim is to instil a feeling of security," he said.
Meanwhile, BJP President Amit Shah has convened an urgent meeting on Saturday morning on the issue.Shah is expected to reach BJP headquarters by 10 am in New Delhi. He may also hold a press conference later in the day to spell out the party strategy. However, no final decision has been taken on that.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is also slated to reach the national capital to keep a close watch on the unfolding situation.
The apex court had on August 6 commenced day-to-day proceedings in the case as the mediation proceedings initiated to find the amicable resolution had failed.
Fourteen appeals have been filed in the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among the three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
Initially, as many as five lawsuits were filed in the lower court. The first one was filed by Gopal Singh Visharad, a devotee of ''Ram Lalla'', in 1950 to seek enforcement of the right to worship of Hindus at the disputed site.
In the same year, the Paramahansa Ramachandra Das had also filed the lawsuit for continuation of worship and keeping the idols under the central dome of the now-demolished disputed structure.
The plea was later withdrawn.
Later, the Nirmohi Akahara also moved the trial court in 1959 seeking management and ''shebaiti'' (devotee) rights over the 2.77 acre disputed land.
Then came the lawsuit of the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Wakf Board which moved the court in 1961, claiming title right over the disputed property.
The deity, ''Ram Lalla Virajman'', through next friend and former Allahabad High Court judge Deoki Nandan Agrawal, and the Janmbhoomi (the birthplace) moved the lawsuit in 1989, seeking title right over the entire disputed property on the key ground that the land itself has the character of the deity and of a ''Juristic entity''.
Later, all the lawsuits were transferred to the Allahabad High Court for adjudication following the demolition of the disputed Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid structure on December 6, 1992, sparking communal riots in the country.


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