Foreign

Indian apex court suggests out-of-court settlement of Babri Masjid dispute

March 21, 2017

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NEW DELHI: Indian Supreme Court conducted the hearing of the petition on Tuesday and has suggested for an out-of-court settlement of Babri Masjid and Ram Mandir dispute.

The petition was filed by Bharatiya Janata Party’s Subramanian Swamy.

“An amicable settlement of the Ayodhya Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute was a better course than on insisting on judicial pronouncement,” a bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul.

“The matter involves sentiments on both sides. It should be settled amicably between the disputing parties… The Supreme Court will come in the picture of you can’t settle the dispute outside the court,” the apex court said.

Justice Khehar told Swamy: “Any person of your choice. You want me to mediate (but) I will not hear (on the judicial side). You want my brother (Judge). There are issues. You all sit together across the table and decide.”

While adjourning the hearing, the Supreme Court directed Swamy to inform the court about the final decision after holding talks with both the parties in the case.

The demolition of the 16th-century mosque by Hindu mobs in 1992 triggered some of India s worst riots that killed about 2,000 people. Cases were registered against many culprits including notable figures like Kalyan Singh, the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shiv Sena-head Bal Thackeray and L. K. Advani. Yet, no judgment has been passed till date on this barbaric attack.

Hindus want to build a temple on the site. However, Muslims want the mosque rebuilt after it was demolished in 1992.