Ayodhya case: Mosque was built by pulling down temple, counsel tells SC

The counsel, representing deity Ram Lalla Virajman, one of the parties in the Ayodhya title dispute case, on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that the disputed structure (mosque) was put in place either on the ruins of the temple or by pulling it down.

"Pillar bases found by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) have established the existence of a huge structure at the site of Babri Masjid. Other evidence revealed that it was a Hindu religious structure," C S Vaidyanathan informed a five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.

The counsel relied on a document by the agency, which stated that a stone slab from the 12th century was recovered which had verses that spoke of King Govind Chandra, the king of a kingdom whose capital was Ayodhya.

 

"The verses found on the stone made it clear that there was a big Vishnu temple at that place and the ASI in the excavation had found the remains of that temple," he said.

The disputed site is considered to be Lord Ram's Janmabhoomi (birthplace) and it has been the faith and belief of Hindus that make them visit the Ram Janmabhoomi for darshan, the counsel added.

He also read out the verbatim of the Muslim witnesses collated by him. "The Muslim witness stated that if the mosque was built after the demolition of a temple, they will not consider it a mosque. He said that the mosque cannot be built on a forcibly occupied place," he added.

Vaidyanathan said that the Muslim side, including Sunni Wakf Board and others, had earlier said that there was no such pre-existing structure, but later changed their stand and said that the Islamic structure existed beneath Babri Masjid.

The constitution bench, also comprising Justice SA Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Abdul Naseer, is conducting a day-to-day hearing in the Ayodhya title dispute case after the mediation panel failed to achieve an amicable settlement.

The apex court is hearing appeals against September 30, 2010 verdict of the Allahabad High Court in the case.

The High Court in its verdict had ordered equal division of 2.77-acre disputed land in Ayodhya among the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

The 16th-century Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992.