New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) raised the bogey of the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992, following the Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya dispute on Saturday, saying that those guilty of the "illegal act" should be brought to book as soon as possible.
CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said that the five-member Constitution bench of the SC has sought to end the dispute which "has been utilized by the communal forces and resulted in large-scale violence and loss of lives".
The politburo of the CPM issued a statement in New Delhi after the Supreme Court pronounced its historic judgment awarding 2.77 acres of dispute land in Ayodhya to the Hindus.
"The court judgment has itself stated that the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992 was a violation of law. This was a criminal act and an assault on the secular principle. The cases pertaining to the demolition should be expedited and the guilty punished," said the CPM statement.
Kar Sevaks had marched into Ayodhya and demolished the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992. The Supreme Court in its verdict cited the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act 1991. Parliament had passed this Act with objective to ensure that religious character of holy structures is maintained as it was at the time of India's independence on August 15, 1947.
"The court has also appreciated the 1991 Places of Religious Worship Act. Adherence to this law should ensure that no such disputes on religious places are again raised and utilised," said the statement.
The CPM further appealed that there should be no provocative acts following the judgment which can result in disruption of communal harmony.
Raising doubts over some parts of the judgment, Yechury posted, "CPM has always maintained that the issue should be resolved by a judicial verdict if a negotiated settlement was not possible. While this judgement has provided a judicial resolution to the fractious issue there are certain premises of the judgement which are questionable".
He further said that the Supreme Court judgment has itself stated that the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992 was a violation of the law.
"This was a criminal act and an assault on the secular principle. The cases pertaining to the demolition should be expedited and the guilty punished," he said.
(With inputs from agencies)
