Author: PNS
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: October 6, 2010
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/288025/Cracks-show-in-Cong-over-HC-verdict.html
Don't link Babri demolition to ruling, says
BJP
Differences within the Congress over the Ayodhya
verdict came out into the open on Tuesday, which was also marked by a game
of political one-upmanship and firming up of follow-up action plans by Muslim
organisations and community leaders that hold little hope for an out-of-court
settlement in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi land dispute.
As the Congress Steering Committee (CSC),
which met here, unanimously backed the Allahabad High Court verdict and welcomed
the reconciliation efforts, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal questioned the basis
of the judgement, asking if the right to pray gave the right to ownership
- an opinion which is in stark contrast to that of his party.
However, with the CSC "consensus"
over the verdict coming along with its assertion that the judgement does not
condone the demolition of the Babri Masjid, the BJP took umbrage to it, saying
the judgement and the demolition should not be linked, especially since the
issue of demolition was sub judice and criminal proceedings were on in the
matter. The Left parties also pitched in terming the verdict as a "dangerous
precedent" since it was based on faith.
In an interview to CNN-IBN, Sibal raised the
question if the right to pray at a certain place gave possession right. "I
know many instances where people worship underneath a peepal tree. Some sadhus
sit there and thousands of people walk around and worship together. Then the
question is, who is in possession?"
The essential element of possession, Sibal
felt, was the right to egress and ingress. "It is the right to enter
and not allowing somebody to enter. This cannot be done in case of religious
places in the country, as according to the Indian Constitution, you cannot
prevent that," he pointed out.
On the other hand, the Congress welcomed,
accepted and respected the verdict. The CSC, which met for the first time
after Sonia Gandhi's re-election as the party president last month, came out
with a "consensus" statement after the meeting. It stated that the
party "respects" the judicial process with the title suit and everyone
should await the final decision of the Supreme Court, "as and when the
appeal is filed".
The committee also welcomed efforts by the
parties concerned to find an "amicable and peaceful settlement".
The statement, read out to the mediapersons by Congress media department chairman
Janardan Dwivedi, said, "It is important to underline that the verdict
in no way condones the demolition of the Babri Masjid on Dec 6, 1992…."
But the Congress came under attack by the
BJP for "linking" the verdict on the Ayodhya title suits with the
demolition of the Babri Masjid. "At this stage, it is a high court verdict
which has come on a bunch of civil suits based on certain issues. And, to
that extent, we respect what has come in the judgement. At this stage, to
time and again link it with the demolition of the Babri Masjid....I don't
think there is any need," BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.
On his part, terming as "disturbing"
the verdict for a three-way division of the land by giving "primacy"
to faith and religious belief, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat said it
would "set a dangerous precedent for the future". The CPI, too,
echoed similar views.
Official sources said the Government will
not interfere in the matter.
It expects someone or the other will definitely
move the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, if the Sunni Central Waqf Board
(SCWB) has made it clear that it will move the Supreme Court against the verdict,
two prominent Muslim leaders - Maulana Abdul Raheem Qureshi, secretary, All
India Muslim Personal Law Board and Asaduddin Owaisi, Lok Sabha MP and MIM
president - too ruled out the possibility of Muslim community either accepting
the judgement or an out-of-court settlement.
After a meeting of the 13-member SCWB in Lucknow,
chairman Zufar Ahmad Farooqui said that the high court verdict was not acceptable
and the board would move the apex court against it. When asked about the out-of-court
settlement of the vexed issue, Farooqui said that board has not authorised
anyone to go for any sort of negotiations on behalf of the SCWB.
The chairman said if any concerned party has
any proposal for a settlement then it must be communicated to the SCWB and
discussed. "Only the Board will decide any further move on the issue,"
Zufar stressed.
