New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday fixed the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute cases for the first week of January 2019 before an appropriate bench, which will decide the schedule of hearing.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, said the appropriate bench will decide the future course of hearing in January on the appeals filed against the Allahabad High Court verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case.
"We will fix the date of hearing of the Ayodhya dispute case before the appropriate bench in January," the bench, which also comprised Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, said.
Earlier, a three judge bench, by a 2:1 majority, refused to refer to a five-judge Constitution bench the issue of reconsideration of the observations in its 1994 judgement that a mosque was not integral to Islam. The matter had arisen during the hearing of the Ayodhya land dispute.
An apex court bench headed by then Chief Justice Dipak Misra said the civil suit has to be decided on the basis of evidence, adding that the previous verdict has no relevance to this issue.
As many as 14 appeals have been filed against the high court judgement, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77 acres of land be partitioned equally among three parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
Cannot wait eternally for court judgement, govt should bring law: VHP
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Monday said Hindus cannot wait eternally for a court judgement on the Ayodhya land dispute case and asked the government to bring a law for building a Ram temple.
Its working president Alok Kumar urged the Narendra Modi government to bring a legislation in the Winter Session.
"The Supreme Court has once again adjourned the hearing. This fortifies the VHP's stand that the solution to the Ram Janambhoomi issue is not in eternally waiting for hearing of appeals pending for over seven years. We reiterate our request to the Union government to enact a law to clear the way for building a grand temple of Lord Ram at his birthplace in Ayodhya," Kumar told.
This may be done in the coming winter session of Parliament, the head of the RSS affiliate said, adding that the Hindutva organisation will intensify its campaign for such a legislation if the government does not act.
The organisation has called a two-day 'Dharam Sansad', a meeting of seers, on January 31 and February 1 next year to discuss the Ram temple issue. This will be held on the sidelines of the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad.
Hindus running out of patience: Giriraj Singh
Hindus are running out of patience on the Ram temple issue, Union minister Giriraj Singh said.
"Shri Ram" is the cornerstone of the faith of the Hindus, the minister of state for micro, small and medium enterprises said.
"The Congress has decided to make it a Hindu-Muslim issue... Hindus are running out of patience. I fear what will happen if Hindus lose patience," Singh said.
