Can’t change birthplace of Lord Ram, Babur committed a historical mistake: Hindu party to SC

Pic courtesy: Reuters

The counsel for a Hindu party on Tuesday said a Supreme Court bench hearing the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri masjid land dispute case that Mughal emperor Babur had committed a historical wrong by constructing a mosque at the birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya and the time has come to rectify this mistake.

Senior advocate K Parasaran, appearing for Mahant Suresh Das, told a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that there are 50-55 mosques in Ayodhya where Muslims can offer namaz but it is impossible for Hindus to change the birth place of Lord Ram.

Parasaran argued that Babur conquered India and placed himself above law by constructing a mosque at the birthplace of Lord Ram. During the hearing, the SC bench, also comprising justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and SA Nazeer, asked several questions to Parasaran on several legal issues.

The SC bench also asked whether Muslims have the rights to seek a decree of declaration with regard to the disputed property even after the demolition of 'Babri masjid' in 1992. "They say, once a mosque always a mosque, do you support this? the bench asked Parasaran. "No, I do not support it. I will say once a temple always a temple," Parasaran replied. The SC bench responded saying that Muslim parties have argued that they can seek a decree of declaration for the property even if the structure was demolished in 1992.

The arguments were made on 39th day of hearing in this case. It is to be noted that fourteen appeals have been filed in the SC challenging the judgment passed by Allahabad High Court in 2010. In its judgment, the Allahabad HC had ruled that 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya be divided equally among the three parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.