The Central government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court's suggestion of an out-of-court settlement of the Ayodhya Ram Temple dispute.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said fresh attempts must be made by all parties concerned to find a solution to the Ayodhya Ram Temple dispute which is a "sensitive" and "sentimental matter".
A bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar said that such religious issues can be solved through negotiations and offered to mediate to arrive at an amicable settlement.
"These are issues of religion and sentiments. These are issues where all the parties can sit together and arrive at a consensual decision to end the dispute. All of you may sit together and hold a cordial meeting," the bench also comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and SK Kaul said.
Video: Subramanian Swamy on SC's suggestion
The observations came after BJP leader Subramanian Swamy mentioned the matter seeking urgent hearing of the issue. Swamy said that it has been over six years and the matter needed to be heard at the earliest.
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Later, the BJP welcomed the apex court's observation and said the aggrieved parties should keep in mind its "sensitivity" while discussing the matter.
"The Supreme Court has called for an out-of-court settlement between the aggrieved parties. The parties should resolve the issue amicably by talking to each other. We welcome this step and I believe they should have talks outside the court," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters in New Delhi.
The party will study in detail the observations made by the apex court, which has said the issue is sensitive and sentimental and is related to faith of millions of people, he said.
Patra suggested that aggrieved parties should talk while keeping in mind the "sensitivity" of the issue.
RSS functionary Dattatreya Hosabale also welcomed the SC's observation and said the Ayodhya issue should be resolved at the earliest and a temple built with the involvement of all Indians.
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Hosabale said that the Hindutva outfit will support the decision taken by 'Dharam Sansad', which organised the Ram Janambhumi movement.
"It (Ram temple issue) is to be decided by the Dharam Sansad as they are the people who organised the entire Ram Janambhumi movement and the parties who went to the court.
"RSS will not decide. RSS will go by the Dharam Sansad's decision. The issue should be settled at the earliest and a grand temple should be erected through the involvement of all Indians," Hosabale said.
RSS Prachar Pramukh Manmohan Vaidya said a Ram temple at Ayodhya should be built either throught dialogue or through a legislation.
"Ram temple should be constructed either through a dialouge process or a legislation," he told PTI.
However, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the Babri Masjid case is about the title and he is waiting to seeing if "conspiracy charges" would be held against senior BJP leaders in the matter.
In a tweet, Owaisi said, "Waiting to hear about whether conspiracy charges will be held against (LK) Advani, (Murli Manohar) Joshi, Uma Bharati (Bharti) in Babri demolition case since....1992".
The Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad also hoped that the Supreme Court would decide on the "contempt petition which is pending since demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992."
"Please remember Babri Masjid case is about Title which Allahabad court wrongly decided as a Partnership case hence the appeal in apex court," he said in another tweet.
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The Allahabad High Court had ruled a three-way division of the disputed land - one third for the Sunni Waqf Board, one third for the Nirmohi Akhara and one third to the party for 'Ram Lalla'.
He also said that, "Dalit Christian & Muslim issue is also resolved (which is) pending in Apex court for many years not giving Dalit status violation of Fundamental rights."
In another development, Union Minister PP Chaudhary said the government too favours talks to resolve the Ayodhya dispute.
"Government is always ready and encourages mediation. We encourage negotiations and mediations, even pre-litigation mediation and post-litigation mediation," Chaudhary, who is Minister of State for Law and Justice, told reporters in the Parliament premises.
Underlining that the suggestion of Supreme Court is "worth welcoming", he said if such complex matters are solved through negotiations, it ensures peace and better understanding between the parties in the future.
"What mediation can do, cannot be done by judgement. Both the parties are happy in case of mediation but in case of judgement, one party is happy while the other is not," he said.
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The Minister also exuded confidence that the long-standing dispute would be resolved through negotiations.
"The matter is in the court. Nothing can be done until the SC gives the verdict. Now SC has said that solve it through negotiation. I feel that it would be solved through negotiation," he said.
Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma termed the Supreme Court's suggestion as a "big initiative" and requested all the parties to "respect the sentiments of the court" and resolve the issue through negotiations.
Video: Reactions on SC's observation
On the other hand, Union Minister for Water Resources Uma Bharti has suggested a Somnath-like solution for the Ram Mandir issue in Ayodhya.
"The matter regarding whether Lord Ram was born in Ayodhya or not has already been settled by the court. Now the only dispute left is the title of the land, i.e. whether it belongs to Ram Janmabhumi Nyas or the Waqf Board," she told reporters in Bhopal.
"It would be better if this matter is decided out of court, i.e. on the lines of Somnath temple (in Gujarat). Otherwise, we will take a call after the court's verdict on the issue," said Bharti, who was one of the prominent leaders of the movement for construction of Ram Mandir in the place of Babri Masjid in the 1990s in Uttar Pradesh.
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What is the case
On February 26, 2015, the apex court had allowed Swamy to intervene in the pending matters relating to the Ayodhya title dispute with his plea seeking construction of Ram temple at the site of the demolished disputed structure.
The BJP leader had earlier moved the plea for a direction to allow construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya at the disputed site and had mentioned it before a bench headed by the then Chief Justice T S Thakur for an urgent hearing.
He had also sought directions to expedite the disposal of several petitions challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict of three-way division of the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya on September 30, 2010.
(With inputs from PTI)
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