India's Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a lower court in northern India to delay a potentially explosive verdict on whether Hindus or Muslims own land around a demolished mosque in northern India. The deferral of the verdict, which many fear could have sparked off religious riots, will be a relief for the government, which already has its hands full dealing with a rebellion in Kashmir and rushing against the clock to set right preparations for the Commonwealth Games.
The decades-old case over the 16th century Babri mosque in Uttar Pradesh state is one of the biggest security challenges in India this year, along with a Maoist insurgency and a Kashmiri separatist rebellion, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said. Hindu mobs demolished the mosque in the town of Ayodhya in 1992, claiming it was built on the birthplace of their god-king Rama. The demolition triggered the worst religious riots since partition in 1947, and some 2,000 people died.
The Supreme Court prevented the lower court from delivering the judgement on Friday as originally slated and it is now unclear when the verdict will come. The top court will now hear an appeal for a stay on the verdict on September 28, filed by a person who said the matter could be settled out of court. "The petitioner obviously believes that if the Supreme Court lends a helping hand, a soothing touch, it is possible that the warring parties will see reason and try and bring a solution," Supreme Court lawyer Mukul Rohtagi told reporters. The oldest of the suits being decided dates back to 1949, and Rama is one of the petitioners. Under Indian law, a deity is a legal person and can own property.
BOTH SIDES DISAPPOINTED WITH RULING Lawyers for both sides said they were disappointed by the delay, saying the chances of a reconciliation after years of litigation were slim.
"I think that there is no chance of reconciliation," said Zafaryab Jilani, the lawyer for the Muslim body fighting the case. "Both parties are rigid and ready for the court judgement." Similar sentiments were voiced by Ranjana Agnihotri, lawyer for the Hindu litigants, who added: "I think some politicians did not want this judgement to come out."
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