Who are the parties for an out of Court settlement as far as Ram Temple in Ayodhya is concerned? The dispute has dragged since the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in 1992. As far as the Supreme Court stand is concerned asking the parties to make another attempt at resolving differences through negotiations has come as a bit of a surprise. Earlier there was an attempt to resolve the issue by the Allahabad High Court with its judgment of 30th September, 2010. However, this was stayed by the Apex Court on 9th May, 2011. Against this backdrop, the apex court’s move is certainly well meaning. But it is unlikely to yield results. Tuesday’s Supreme Court verdict on the long-standing dispute, calling for ‘an amicable, out-of-Court settlement’, has added further weight to the issue. The dispute is at the heart of the Hindu-Muslim communal rift in Uttar Pradesh. For more than half a century, the dispute has fuelled mass polarisation in the state and has prompted the country’s worst spate of religious violence since the Partition. Earlier attempts at out-of-Court settlements have failed to make any headway for decades. And there is nothing to suggest that things have changed in this regard now. On the contrary, with BJP’s recent electoral victory in Uttar Pradesh the dispute could be seen as carrying a distinct advantage. This makes negotiations on the basis of equality implausible. Given this scenario, it will be far more pragmatic for the Supreme Court to hear the case and provide a final judgment on the title of the disputed land. Additionally, there’s no denying that the demolition of the Babri Masjid was an act of criminality for which recompense needs to be made. Taking all of this into consideration, the Supreme Court should expedite the hearing of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case. It should not allow any new parties to join the case and give its judgment on the basis of constitutionality and law. The dispute has been a subject of inciting political rhetoric in the lead up to almost all elections in the state and takes centre-stage now following Adityanath’s rise.
