New Delhi, Nov 9 (UNI) A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, by an unanimous judgment, on Saturday, ruled in favour of the Hindus who sought to build a Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya, revered as the birth place of Lord Ram.
Late evening reports said the Sunni Waqf Board had issues with the ruling on the dispute that has spanned the Mughal era, British colonialism and seven decades of India's independence and defined the nation's politics.
Led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, the apex court bench also ruled that Muslims must be compensated with five acres (almost double the disputed land) at a prominent place in Ayodhya.
It asked the Centre to formulate a trust with a Board of Trustees within a period of three months for the construction of the Temple and other matters related to it.
'The sequence of the events as noticed above clearly indicate faith and belief of Hindus that birth place of Lord Ram was in the three-dome structure Mosque which was constructed at the Janamasthan,' held the apex court.
The bench, also comprising Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer, dismissed the Nirmohi Akhara suit on grounds of limitation.
It asserted that the demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992 was a violation of the rule of law.
The judgment came on pleas against the September 2010 Allahabad High Court trifurcation of the disputed 2.77 acres of land equally among Ram Lalla, Nirmohi Akhra and Sunni Waqf Board. The bench said the HC ruling defied logic.
Hindus had contended that Lord Ram was born where the Babri Masjid stood. They also affirmed that the place has a special significance for the Hindus. The Muslim side pointed that they had executive title over the land and sought restoration of the pre-December 1992 status quo.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the verdict has heralded a new dawn for the nation. 'The decision of the highest court of the land has brought with it a new dawn for us. The matter may have impacted numerous generations, but with this, we must resolve that the new generations will involve themselves in making a new India' the Prime Minister said in a televised address to the nation.
New India will not tolerate any negativity, Mr Modi stressed. The 125 crore people today have written a new history, the Premier maintained, adding that 'this will be a chapter written in golden letters'.
Mr Modi said the whole judiciary deserved a special pat for this task.
Today's message is 'Jodne ka, judne ka aur mil kar jeene ka' (Unite, get united and live in harmony), the Prime Minister said.
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