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Updated November 11th, 2021 at 08:09 IST

Ayodhya Verdict: Chidambaram reiterates criticism; Khurshid hails 'best possible closure'

On Wednesday, Congress leaders P Chidambaram and Salman Khurshid differed over their perception of the Supreme Court's verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute.

Reported by: Akhil Oka
Congress, Ram temple
Image: PTI | Image:self
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On Wednesday, senior Congress leaders P Chidambaram and Salman Khurshid differed over their perception of the Supreme Court's verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute. Speaking at the launch of Khurshid's book 'Sunrise over Ayodhya', Chidambaram made it clear that this judgment was "good" only because it was accepted by both sides and not vice versa. He quipped, "My good friend Salman Khurshid does not want to rock the boat, does not want to stir the hornet's nest". Explaining the aftermath of the SC verdict, he noted, "Like no one killed Jessica, nobody demolished the Babri Masjid". 

Congress MP P Chidambaram remarked, "Due to the passage of time, what the author points out is both sides have accepted it. Because both sides have accepted it, it has become a right judgment. Not the other way around. It is not a right judgment which both sides have accepted."

"The truth was that what happened on 6th December 1992, was a terrible wrong. It was an incident that debased our Constitution, that defied the Supreme Court and created at what appeared at that time an unbridgable chasm between two communities. I will say it a hundred times. It will always be a terrible wrong. Having said that it is perfectly right to say that a wrong has been committed, so please reconcile. But I think it is patronizing to tell the people of this country- over 200 million Muslims- please reconcile because that's what it is," he added. 

Disagreeing with Chidambaram's take, Khurshid said, "They said they would be writing the judgment on the basis of the principles of the law of property and title. And that's what they said they were doing. And that it would not be based on faith. But of course, as Mr. Chidambaram said, many other people say and other participants may say so, there is a thin edge and the court could have gone either way."

He elaborated, "The larger perspective of the court was if it's possible let us find closure. And the best possible closure is what they have done. To what extent it is really seen as being fair and just is another matter which people might have different views on. But in the circumstances, I believe that the court couldn't have done any better."

The Ayodhya verdict

On November 9, 2019, the Constitution bench of the SC, comprising of the then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer pronounced a unanimous verdict, awarding the entire disputed area to the Hindu parties. It directed the Centre to formulate a scheme within three months which will be responsible for building a temple. On the other hand, the SC ordered that an alternative land of 5 acres in Ayodhya would be given to the Sunni Central Waqf Board for the construction of a mosque. 

The Prime Minister made the announcement pertaining to the formation of the Ram temple trust on the floor of the Lok Sabha on February 5. Mahant Nritya Gopal Das was elected as the president of the trust whereas Nripendra Misra- the former Principal Secretary to PM Modi was chosen to head the Ram temple construction committee. While the Bhoomi Pujan of the Ram Mandir was performed by PM Modi on August 5, 2020, it is likely to open for the public by December 2023. 

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Published November 11th, 2021 at 08:09 IST

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