Status quo on Ayodhya to stay, government ‘pleased’ with peace (Roundup)

NEW DELHI - A day after the Ayodhya verdict, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Friday he was “pleased” with the “dignified” response of the people to the judgment and the government would maintain the status quo at the site. He said the court ruling didn’t justify the demolition of the Babri mosque by Hindu mobs in 1992.

The government is expecting one of the parties in the dispute to approach the Supreme Court, which may pass an interim order before taking up it for hearing, Chidambaram told reporters.

“The judgment is indeed an important document. But it is not operational today. It is a fair assumption that appeals may be lodged. It is a fair assumption that the Supreme Court will pass interim orders. Therefore, there is no need now to comment on the judgment which is not operational and status quo as decreed in a Supreme Court order in 1994 will be maintained,” the home minister said.

He said the central government had “no role” except for maintaining law and order in the country, which could be ensured by maintaining the status quo “as it existed prior to the judgment” at the site.

A visibly satisfied home minister, who was personally overseeing the law and order preparedness in the country ahead of the court ruling on one of the most contentious issues involving Hindus and Muslims, said the situation across the nation has been “extremely peaceful”.

“The law and order situation throughout the country has been extremely peaceful. No incident has been reported to us. We are pleased and satisfied with the response that has been dignified and respectful,” Chidambaram said, quoting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

He said the cabinet and the Congress core committee met separately Thursday after the judgment was pronounced, following which Manmohan Singh made an appeal to the nation for peace and restraint.

A three-judge Lucknow bench, comprising a Muslim and two Hindus, of the Allahabad High Court ruled in a majority judgment that there be a three-way division of the disputed land - one-third for the Sunni Waqf Board, one-third for the Nirmohi Akhara and one-third to the party for Ram Lalla or infant Ram.

The court ruled that a Ram temple had been destroyed to build the Babri mosque. The 16th century mosque was razed by Hindu mobs Dec 6, 1992 - an incident that triggered widespread communal clashes killing some 2,000 people in the country.

The home minister, however, said that court ruling didn’t justify the demolition of the mosque.

“This judgment has nothing to do with the (demolition of Babri mosque) in 1992 That was, as found by the Liberhan Commission, was completely unacceptable. This judgment in no way justifies the demolition of the Babri Masjid.

“That act was completely unacceptable and it was an act done by people who took law and order into their hands. That remains, in my view, a criminal act. Also, please don’t attribute to the judges any attempt to justify what was done in 1992,” Chidambaram said, advising the media: “Don’t over-interpret the judgment.”