All parties satisfied with SC order on Ayodhya

New Delhi: Various parties to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit on Monday expressed satisfaction over the Supreme Court order staying the Allahabad High Court direction for tripartite division of the disputed land.

The counsel for various parties, including Lord Rama Lalla Virajman, Hindu Maha Sabha and Sunni Waqf Board, expressed satisfaction over the apex court's interim order saying that none of the parties had sought division of the 2.77 acre land.

"There will be no change of situation at ground zero (the make-shift temple of Ram Lalla). The pooja will continue as per the January 7, 1993 order," senior advocate Ravi Shankar Prasad, who is representing Ram Lalla Virajman, told reporters in apex court premises after the hearing on the Ayodhya dispute.

After the demolition of the masjid on December 6, 1992, the demonstrators created a makeshift temple. On January 7, 1993, the Congress government enacted the Ayodhya Act 1993 which preserved the status quo of the destroyed mosque and limited prayer on the disputed site.

Sunni Waqf Board counsel Zafaryab Jilani said, "We are satisfied with today's order of the Supreme Court...This will help in maintaining peaceful position in the country."

"Everybody had claimed for exclusive rights, so Supreme Court is completely justified in staying the high court judgement," he said, adding, "Sunni Waqf board will ask the court to expedite its hearing in the case."

Expressing satisfaction over the apex court order, counsel representing Hindu Maha Sabha said, "Nobody prayed for it (partition of land into three parts). Everybody wanted full land. Our stand continues that entire Janmabhoomi premises belongs to the Hindu Maha Sabha."

The Supreme Court today stayed the Allahabad High Court's verdict dividing in three parts the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya, terming as "something strange" the judgement although the parties had not asked for trifurcation of the land.

The court, while staying the September 30, 2010 judgement of the Lucknow bench of the high court, ordered status quo at the site.

Muslim organisations and groups too welcomed the Supreme court order. The Babri Masjid Action Committee of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board said the apex court's observations on the High Court verdict were "noteworthy".

"We have full faith in judiciary. We will accept whatever decision is taken by the apex court," Committee co-convenor Sayed Kasim Rasool Ilyas said.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madni claimed that the apex court's observations had shown that their objection to the High Court verdict was justified.

"We hope that justice will be done," Madni said.

Terming the order as a "ray of hope", Jamiat-e-Islami Hindi said, "We did not agree with the High Court verdict. We welcome the Supreme Court's direction".

Ranjeet Laal Varma, the counsel for Nirmohi Akhara, said they were in favour of an amicable settlement.

"Any decision or any step in this matter will have a long lasting effect on society. So we are ready to solve this dispute by mutual understanding. In the law we have rights and if we reach any compromise we can present our settlement in the court," he said.

Mohammad Hashim Ansari, the oldest litigant in the case, said, "We will accept every verdict delivered by court, but we are trying hard to reach a settlement to solve this issue peacefully, I along with Mahant Gyan Das have reached the final stages of our draft of peaceful solution".

Hashim said, "I appeal to both Hindus and Muslims brothers to fight this legal battle with peace and with love, don't ever come on roads or become prey to politicians over this matter."

Mahant Bhaskar Das, the chief priest of Nirmohi Akhara, expressed happiness over the Supreme Court's order "We never wanted the land to be split into pieces. The doors to peaceful negotiations are open," he said in Ayodhya.

Triloki Nath Pandey, another litigant, expressed satisfaction over the order decision. "I am always ready for talks, we can go for peaceful negotiations and out of court settlement, I will welcome the parties who will come to me for the talks over the Ayodhya dispute," he said.