c m y k c m y k HE SIAN GE T NEWA DELHI SUNDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2019 A www.asianage.com RNI No. 57290/94, Regd No: DL-SW-05/4189/15-17 Vol. 26 No. 264 | 48 PAGES | `5.00 RAM LALLA COMES HOME, A NEW MASJID TO RISE SC calls Babri’s demolition a crime, but says Hindus’ claim on land is stronger 5 judges pronounce TODAY IS the day to unanimous verdict forget any bitterness one may have; there PRAMOD KUMAR is no place for fear, NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 INSiDE bitterness and In an unprecedented case negativity in new based on faith and belief, RAM TEMPLE India the Supreme Court on Saturday “unanimously” NARENDRA MODI, paved the way for the con- WORK TO Prime Minister struction of Lord Ram’s temple at Ayodhya as it BEGIN IN APRIL IT IS A moment of rejected the Muslim claim over the disputed site and ● The RSS is now hop- fulfilment for me handed over the entire ing to lay the temple’s because God 1,500 square yard of the foundation stone on the Almighty had given “composite” disputed area ‘Ram Navmi’ next April. me an opportunity to comprising the inner and make my own humble the outer court yard of the ■ REPORT ON PAGE 4 now demolished Babri contribution to the Masjid to a trust that mass movement would construct the tem- ple and would be set up by RAJIV GANDHI’S L.K. ADVANI, the Central government in Veteran BJP leader next three months. BLUNDERS The disputed land would THE SUPREME remain in the custody of HELPED BJP RISE Court’s the statutory receiver till verdict has come. We the Trust is formed and the ● Rajiv Gandhi’s are in favour of the land handed over to it. The handling of Shah Bano construction of Ram court said that the Central government would be at case and shila nyas at temple. This “liberty to make suitable Ayodhya helped BJP judgment also closed provisions in respect of the ■ REPORT ON PAGE 5 the doors for BJP and rest of the acquired land by others to politicise handing it over to the trust” for its management the issue. and development. PEOPLE KEEP RANDEEP SURJEWALA The verdict was deliv- Five Supreme Court judges — Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi (centre) flanked by Justice Ashok Bhushan (left), Justice Sharad Arvind Bobde (second ered by Chief Justice CALM, PEACEFUL from left), Justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud (second from right), Justice S. Abdul Nazeer (right) — pose for a photograph after delivering the verdict Congress spokesman Ranjan Gogoi who along on Ayodhya land case in New Delhi on Saturday. ■ Judges’ profiles: Page 2 — PTI with Chief Justice desig- nate Justice S.A. Bobde, ON SOCIAL MEDIA Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, ● The offline calm main- Justice Ashok Bhushan RAM LALLA and Justice S. Abdul tained by restrained citi- Civil code, Kashi, Supreme Court is supreme Nazeer had heard the mat- zens was palpable on SLEEPS WHILE ter for 40 days starting on Twitter too. August 6 and concluding ■ VERDICT READ on October 16 when judg- REPORT ON PAGE 8 Mathura next? but not infallible, says Owaisi ment was reserved. VIKRAM SHARMA The hearing was rooted necessary because though SANJAY BASAK Katiyar. also a key accused AYODHYA, NOV. 9 S.A. ISHAQUI and whether it would would the Supreme Court in a batch of petitions chal- on a balance of probabili- NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 in the Babri Masjid case HYDERABAD, NOV. 9 accept land for the mosque have delivered?” Mr lenging September 30, 2010, ties, the evidence in had announced: “We are Ram Lalla had just or not, but his personal Owaisi wondered. Allahabad High Court respect of the possessory “What would the verdict waiting for the Supreme fallen asleep when the AIMIM president Asadudd- opinion was that the five “Muslims of India have judgment in which the dis- claim of the Hindus to the be, if Babri (masjid) had Court verdict on Ayodhya. verdict was read out — in Owaisi termed the acres for the mosque faith in the Constitution of puted site was divided into composite whole of the dis- not been razed”, asked After that, we will build granting permanent Supreme Court verdict a should be rejected. India,” he said. “We were three parts with Hindu liti- puted property stands on a Asaduddin Owaisi , leader Ram temple and then move resident status to “victory of beliefs over Mr Owaisi told the media contesting the case for our gants — the Idol of Ram better footing than the evi- of the All India Majlis-e- towards liberating Kashi him in the land facts” and said he will ask that the country is proceed- legal right. Though Lalla and Nirmohi Akhara dence adduced by the Ittehadul Muslimeen. and Mathura temples.” Hindus believe the All India Muslim ing towards Hindu Rash- Muslims are poor and getting one part each and Muslims …” While the Sangh Parivar His remarks are a chill- belongs to him. Personal Board (AIMPLB) tra. Starting from Ayodh- weak and discriminated Muslims’ Sunni Waqf “… the Muslims were dis- and the BJP welcome the ing reminder to the slogan Outside in “Ram to seek a review. “The ya, the Sangh Parivar and against, they are not so Board the third. possessed upon the dese- Supreme Court verdict, referring to Gyanvapi Nagari”, the roads Supreme Court was the BJP will exploit the miserable that they could The top court described cration of the mosque on others argued that the mosque at Varanasi and were deserted, shops supreme but not infalli- National Register of not buy five acres of land the High Court judgment 22/23 December 1949 Supreme Court has hand- Shahi Idgah Mosque at shut and anxious ble,” he said. Citizens (NRC) and the for the Masjid. If I ask the as “legally unsustainable”. which was ultimately ed over the disputed site to Mathura — Ayodhya abhi locals stayed indoors Expressing his dissatis- Citizen Amendment Bill. people of Hyderabad, they Handing over the entire destroyed on 6 December the ruling BJP which con- jhanki hai, Mathura, while in Tedhi Bazaar, faction, Mr Owaisi said He said that even those will donate so much that I disputed site for the con- 1992. There was no aban- tinue to have “individuals Kashi baaki hai. green flags and bunti- that the BJP is preparing who politically disagreed can build a mosque in struction of Lord Ram’s donment of the mosque by and leaders responsible for After the verdict, when ngs fluttered to mark the roadmap to a Hindu with him ought to mark his Uttar Pradesh. We don’t temple, the top court the Muslims,” said the the demolition of the Babri defence minister Rajnath Milad un Nabi. A pol- Rashtra through Ayodhya. words which would prove need alms from anyone. We ordered giving Muslims a court. Masjid in its ranks.” Singh was asked about the ice posse positioned The MIM leader said he true in the future. don’t need patronage from “suitable” five-acre plot The court said that the The verdict, described other core issue, the themselves all over, did not know whether the “If Babri Masjid had not any corner.” either by the Central gov- Sunni Central Waqf Board “unjust” by the All India Uniform Civil Code, he many tired and some AIMPLB would proceed for been demolished in 1992, ernment out of the would be at liberty on the Muslim Personal Law said: “Time has come.” yawning and whisper- a review petition or not, then what kind of verdict ■ Full Q&A on the Oped page acquired 67 acres of land allotment of the land to Board (AIMPLB) not mere- The court’s offer direct- ing “Hey Ram!” or by the Uttar Pradesh take all necessary steps for ly paved the way for the ing the Centre to allot an Around 1 pm, after government at a “suitable the construction of a construction of the Ram alternative 5-acre plot to his brief rest, Ram prominent place in mosque on the land allot- temple” but also legit- the Sunni Waqf Board for Lalla woke up to songs Ayodhya.” ted together with other imised the saffron slogan, building a new mosque of “Sita Ram” on the The court said that both associated facilities. which rent the air after the was flayed by Owaisi. loudspeakers, temple Sidelined Advani: ‘Blessed’ the creation of trust and The court ordered giving kar sevaks demolished the Clutching at the straws, bells, crackers, as well handing over the entire Sunni Waqf Board five mosque — Mandir wahi the AIMPLB is consider- as chants of “Jai Shri YOJNA GUSAI for bringing the BJP much blessed” that the apex disputed site to it and giv- acres of “suitable” land at banayenge. ing going for a review peti- Ram”; he comfortably NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 political gains, felt “vindi- court gave its unanimous ing Sunni Waqf Board five Ayodhya taking recourse The top court’s decision tion, but the Shia Waqf sat on his throne to cated” over the Supreme verdict paving the way for acres of land would be to its plenary powers could also cast a shadow Board supported the ver- again give “darshan” L.K. Advani, the most Court verdict. the construction of a “mag- done simultaneously. under Article 142 of the over some other mosques dict and said it was against to visitors. prominent face of the 1990s In a statement, Mr Adv- nificent temple for Lord Justifying the allotment Constitution. in the country if the BJP’s any review petition. Ram Janmabhoomi move- ani “wholeheartedly” wel- Ram in Ayodhya.” of land to Muslims, the Hindutva hawk Vinay ■ Page 4: It’s Modi or ment, whose Rath Yatra to comed the “historic judge- court said, “The allotment ■ Page 4: Muslims failed to Katiyar is to be believed. ■ Page 4: Verdict bolsters Yogi everywhere support the VHP’s mandir ment” and said he “stand ■ Page 4: Social media recalls of land to the Muslims is prove exclusive possession Ahead of the verdict, Mr Modi’s Hindu image movement is given credit vindicated and feel deeply Advani’s rath yatra

MAHA GOVERNOR When cop joined kar sevaks to shout Jai Shri Ram OFFERS FADNAVIS SANJAY KAW name of Sanjay Kaul. In Ayodhya, I pracharaks of the RSS and “indoctri- per the work of Ram temple. was put through intense grilling to FLASHBACK nated” by the Bajrang Dal. One person who was staying with mong the hundreds and establish my credentials as a kar One early morning (a few days me in the tent told me that all the SECOND CHANCE thousands of kar sevaks sevak. Several times I had to recite an before the December 6 demolition), arrangements had been made by the armed with hammers and apocryphal tale of being a Kashmiri hundreds of people gathered near my RSS. “We have planned the rann neeti AGE CORRESPONDENT shovels, I wormed my way migrant who had abandoned his stud- tent. They were carrying boulders (war strategy). And the UP police is MUMBAI, NOV. 9 as an undercover for the ies because of militant activity. It was and shovels and shouting “Jai Shri supporting us. We are sure of our vic- AStatesman newspaper to the Ram terrifying to see the extent to which Ram”. Out of fear, I too joined the tory,” he said and even took me to a Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid site in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh mob, which was led by then BJP MP huge bhojanalaya for food. Singh Koshyari on Saturday Ayodhya way back in December 1992. (RSS), BJP, Vishwa Hindu Parishad B.L. Sharma ‘Prem’. Soon, the mob At the site of the then disputed tem- evening asked BJP leader and Before going to the holy town, I was (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal combine started breaking down three grave- ple, the UP police and the Provincial acting Chief Minister Devendra told that all kar sevaks were being had gone to ensure there was no infil- stones. I also carried the debris to a Armed Constabulary were placed out- Fadnavis to indicate his willing- issued parichay patras (letters of tration. All through my stay in Ayod- nearby pond, along with other kar side the structure, while the Central ness and ability to form a gov- identification/introduction). To hya, the BJP’s letter proved to be my sevaks. Within no time some Reserve Police Force was inside. On ernment in the state. obtain this, I visited the BJP unit in sole protection. After I was accepted makeshift shops were set up at the the very first evening, I spotted a PAC In a statement, the Raj Bhavan south Delhi’s Ambedkar Nagar. I con- as “genuine”, I saw first hand the face site to sell tea. All this happened in constable shouting “Jai Shri Ram” said, “As no party had come for- vinced the party office-bearer there of religious zealotry that had the presence of the saffron party slogans along with kar sevaks barely ward to form the government, that I was a Kashmiri Pandit who had remained veiled by political hoopla. leader. People called it “chhoti (small) a few metres away from the disputed the governor decided to explore to abandon his studies because of mil- I managed to stay with the kar kar seva”. Some Bajrang Dal activists structure. the possibility of formation of itancy in the Valley. He gave me the sevaks from Delhi and Haryana in a even wanted to build a small temple government.” letter on hearing my story. tent at Guru Gobind Singh camp near there, but they were prevented by oth- ■ Page 4: Cops were ready ■ Full report on Page 15 For this subterfuge, I took on the the disputed site. I was briefed by ers because, they said, it would ham- to join kar sevaks THE ASIAN AGE 2 JUDGMENT DAY SUNDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2019 | NEW DELHI

SC: No basis for HC to trifurcate site

AGE CORRESPONDENT NEW DELHI, NOV. 9

The Supreme Court on Saturday found faults with the Allahabad high court verdict by which it had on September 30, 2010 trifurcated the disputed site in three parts, giving one each to idol of Ram Lalla and Hindu sect Nirmohi Akhara and one part to Muslims. The Allahabad high court judgment partitioning the disputed site in three parts was pronounced on September 30, 2010. Noting that the high court was called upon to decide the question of title particularly in the declaratory suits, the top court constitution bench headed by the Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said, “The high court has adopted a path which was not open to it in terms of the principles” that top court had set-out in the judgment. “There was no basis in the pleadings before the high court and certainly no warrant in the reliefs, which were claimed to direct a division of the land in the manner that a court would do in a suit for partition,” top court said, taking a dim view of the high court judgment by which it partitioned the disputed site in three parts. In assessing the correctness of the decree of the high court, the top court today said, “It must be When kar sevaks brought down Babri noted at the outset that the high court was not seized of a suit for partition. In a suit for parti- Hindu activists climb up the dome of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya which was quickly demolished by end of the day. — SONDEEP SHANKAR tion, it is trite law that every party is both a plain- tiff and defendant.” The top court further noted that high court granted reliefs, which were not the subject matter of the prayers in the suits before it and in the “process of doing so, it proceeded to assume the jurisdiction of a civil court in a suit for partition, which the suits before it were not.” Having pointed to the flaws in the high court judgment of September 30, 2010, the top court said that the high court was hearing a suit by a wor- shipper seeking the enforcement of the right to a suit by Nirmohi Akhara, asserting Shebaiti rights to the management and charge of the temple, a declaratory suit on title by the Sunni Central Waqf The five Board and Muslims, and a suit for a declaration on behalf of the Hindu deities in which an injunc- tion has also been At 10.30 am on Saturday, November 9, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court sought restraining THE ALLAHABAD HIGH any obstruction with delivered a unanimous verdict in the Ayodhya title suit case after a 40-day COURT JUDGMENT the construction of a PARTITIONING THE temple. Wondering where marathon daily hearing on the matter. Meet the five. DISPUTED SITE IN were the basis for tri- THREE PARTS furcating the disput- WAS PRONOUNCED ON ed site, the top court SEPTEMBER 30, 2010 today said, “The high court has completely erred in granting relief which lay out- side the ambit of the pleadings and the cases set up by the plaintiffs” – idol of Ram Lalla, Nirmohi Akhara and Sunni Central Waqf Board. Having said this, the top court said that there was “another serious flaw” in the entire approach of the high court in granting relief of a three-way bifurcation of the disputed site as it went ahead partitioning the disputedsite in three parts, even though it had decreed that suit of Nirmohi Akhara and Sunni Waqf Board was time barred. “Having come to the conclusion that Suit 3 (filed by Nirmohi Akhara) and Suit 4 (filed by Sunni Central Waqf Board) were barred by limitation, the high court proceeded to grant relief in Suit 5 (by idol of Ram Lalla) to the plaintiffs in Suits 3 (Nirmohi Akhara) and 4 (Sunni Central Waqf Ranjan Gogoi, Sharad Arvind Bobde, Ashok Bhushan, D.Y. Chandrachud, S. Abdul Nazeer, Board). This defies logic and is contrary to settled principles of law”, said that top court. Chief Justice of India CJI-designate SC judge SC judge SC judge The three judges of the Allahbad high court – Justices S.U. Khan, Sudhir Agrawal and Dharam he 46th Chief Justice of orn in 1956 in Nagpur, ustice Ashok Bhushan, n May 2016, Dhananjaya ustice S. Abdul Nazeer Veer Sharma – took concurring and divergent India, Ranjan Gogoi, Justice S.A. Bobde got born in 1956 in Jaunpur, Yeshwant Chandrachud practised in the positions on the issues before them in 2010. Tborn in 1954, joined the Bhis BA and LLB JUP, obtained a law Iwas appointed a judge of JKarnataka high court On Sunni Central Waqf Board’s claim over the Bar in 1978, and was elevat- degrees from Nagpur degree from Allahabad the Supreme Court. for 20 years after he enrolled Babri Masjid, Justice Khan had said that till 1934, ed as a judge of the Supreme University and enrolled in University in 1979 and was Previously he was the Chief as an advocate in February Muslims were offering regular prayers and since Court in 2012. In October the Roll of the Bar Council elevated as a permanent Justice of the Allahabad 1983. Born in 1958, Justice 1934 till December 22,1949, they were offering only last year, he was appointed of Maharashtra in 1978. judge of the Allahabad high high court. Nazeer was appointed as an Friday prayers in the premises in dispute. The Chief Justice of India. He Justice Bobde practised law court in 2001 and as a judge Justice Chandrachud, born additional judge of the offering of only Friday prayers was also sufficient has heard several landmark at the Nagpur Bench of the of the Supreme Court in in 1959, was appointed as the Karnataka high court in for continuance of possession and use. cases, including one pertain- Bombay high court with 2016. additional solicitor-general 2003 and as a permanent However, Justice Agrawal said that the Muslim ing to National Citizens appearances in Bombay Justice Bhushan joined the in 1998. He practised law at judge in 2004. He was elevat- parties have failed to prove that the property in Register. In an unprecedent- before the principal seat and bench dealing with Ayodhya the Supreme Court and the ed as Supreme Court judge dispute was constructed by Emperor Babur or by ed move in January 2018, he also before the Supreme matter months after deliver- Bombay high court. A Delhi in 2017. He is one among a Mir Baqi. along and other Supreme Court for over 21 years. ing a relatively important University graduate, Justice very few in India who The question as to when disputed structure was Court judges held a press Justice Bobde was desig- judgment on September 27, Chandrachud obtained his became a Supreme Court built and by whom, Justice Agrawal said it cannot conference to express their nated a senior advocate in 2018, in which a three-mem- LLM degree and a doctorate judge without becoming be replied with certainty since neither there is displeasure with CJI Dipak 1998 and was elevated to the ber bench refused to refer to in juridical sciences from chief justice of any of the any pleading nor there is any evidence/material Misra. On April 19, 2019, a bench of the Bombay high five-judge Constitution Harvard Law School. high courts in the country. to arrive at a concrete finding on this aspect. former female Supreme court as additional judge in bench a 1994 verdicvt which He is known to have over- Justice Nazeer was part of However, applying the principle of informed Court employee accused CJI 2000. He was sworn in as the held that mosque was not turned several rulings the five-judge bench in the guess, he had said that it appears that the building Gogoi of sexual misconduct. Chief Justice of the Madhya integral to offering prayers believed to have turned “triple talaq” matter but had in dispute may have been constructed, probably In response, he convened an Pradesh high court in 2012 in Islam. Writing for himself obsolete with time. Some delivered a minority verdict between 1659 to 1707 A.D. during the regime of extraordinary hearing and and elevated as a judge of and then CJI Dipak Misra, such verdicts, including along with then Chief Aurangzeb. denied the charges. Many Supreme Court next year. he declined the request that those on the adultery law Justice of India J.S. Khehar. Justice Dharam Veer Sharma in turn had said jurists and lawyers were His retirement is due in the 1994 judgment be sent to and the right to privacy, They upheld the validity of that the mosque if adversely possessed by a non- shocked at the “procedural April 2021. Justice Bobde a larger bench as it would were handed down from his the practise of Triple Talaq Muslim will lose its sacred character as a mosque impropriety” shown by him. will be the next CJI, taking have a bearing in the Ram father, Y.V. Chandrachur, the based on that fact that it is and the Sunni Central waqf Board were not in He was later issued a clean charge on November 18, after Janmabhoomi-Babri masjid longest serving Chief permissible under Muslim possession of the Babri Masjid and had filed a suit chit by a SC inquiry panel. Justice Gogoi demits office. land dispute. Justice of India. Sharia Law. for recovery of possession. He said that there was no reliable evidence to show that Muslims offered prayers from times immemorial. While Justice Khan had said that it is not proved by direct evidence that premises in dispute, ‘Respect judgment, but verdict holds no value for us’ including constructed portion belonged to Babar or the person, who constructed the mosque or afaryab Jilani — secre- and dissatisfied with this judg- could be committed by any- under whose orders it was constructed. However, tary All India Muslim ment. There are several por- body, and even the Supreme he said that the disputed was constructed as ZPersonal Law Board and tions in the judgment. The Court had reviewed its judg- mosque by or under orders of Babar. lawyer representing the Sunni Ayodhya verdict has a lot of We will decide on the further ments on several occasions in Holding that no temple was demolished for con- Waqf Board in the Ayodhya contradictions and some incor- course of action after studying the past. structing the mosque, Justice Khan had said that land dispute case rect findings also. the mosque was constructed over the ruins of the judgment in detail... We will Q4. Will the verdict create a temples, which were lying in utter ruins since a Q1. Are you satisfied with the Q2. What will be your future file a review petition if our feeling of discontentment in a very long time before the construction of mosque verdict of the Supreme Court course of action on the issue? executive committee agrees on section of society? and some material thereof was used in construc- on the Ram Janmabhoomi- it. It is our right and it is in the tion of the mosque. Babri Masjid land dispute? A. We will decide on the fur- Supreme Court’s rules as well. A. The verdict doesn’t signify a Justice Agrawal had held that the matter ther course of action after victory or defeat for any com- “mounts to delving into some kind of conjectures A. We respect the Supreme studying the judgment in file a review petition if our Supreme Court judgment to be munity. There should be no but since it is a case which necessarily goes in his- Court judgment but the detail. We respect the verdict, executive committee agrees on just? demonstration of any kind tory and particularly when for sufficiently long Ayodhya verdict holds no value but the judgment is not satis- it. It is our right and it is in the anywhere on it. We urge people time, the things are in dark in the absence of for us. Five acres has no value factory. It is not a defeat. We Supreme Court’s rules as well. A. The entire country must to maintain peace and we will anything to the contrary, the present matter would for us. We are not satisfied with will discuss if a review petition respect the dignity of the apex take whatever legal recourse fall within the domain of preponderance of the verdict. We are unhappy should be filed or not. We will Q3. Do you consider the court. However, a mistake we can. probability.” THE ASIAN AGE 3 JUDGMENT DAY SUNDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2019 | NEW DELHI The The conclusion Verdict he facts, evidence and oral arguments of the present case have traversed the realms of Thistory, archaeology, religion and the law. The law must stand apart from political contesta- tions over history, ideology and religion. For a case replete with references to archaeological Excerpts from the foundations, we must remember that it is the law which provides the edifice upon which our multi- 1,045-page judgment by a cultural society rests. The law forms the ground upon which, multiple strands of history, ideology and religion can com- Constitution Bench of the pete. By determining their limits, this court as the final arbiter must preserve the sense of bal- Supreme Court in the ance that the beliefs of one citizen do not inter- fere with or dominate the freedoms and beliefs of Ayodhya land title suit, one another. The Constitution does not make a distinction between the faith and belief of one religion and of the most important ver- another. All forms of belief, worship and prayer are equal... The Constitution speaks to the judges dicts in India’s judicial who interpret it, to those who govern who must enforce it, but above all, to the citizens who history, ending engage with it as an inseparable feature of their lives. In the present case, this court is tasked with an adjudicatory task of unique dimension. The a century-old dispute dispute is over immovable property. The court does not decide title on the basis of faith or belief but on the basis of evidence. The law provides us ANTIQUITY OF THE ISSUE over property by religious with parameters as clear but as profound as own- communities are ership and possession. In deciding title to the dis- he history and cul- inevitable, our courts can- puted property, the court applies settled princi- ture of this country not reduce questions of ples of evidence to adjudicate upon which party Thave been home to title, which fall firmly has established a claim to the immovable proper- quests for truth, through within the secular domain ty. On the balance of probabilities, there is clear the material, the political, and outside the rubric of evidence to indicate that the worship by the and the spiritual. This religion, to a question of Hindus in the outer courtyard continued unim- court is called upon to ful- which community‘s faith peded in spite of the setting up of a grill-brick fil its adjudicatory func- is stronger wall in 1857. Their possession of the outer court- tion where it is claimed yard stands established together with the inci- that two quests for the TOP COURT ON dents attaching to their control over it. truth impinge on the free- ARCHEOLOGY As regards the inner courtyard, there is evi- doms of the other or vio- dence on a preponderance of probabilities to late the rule of law. rchaeology as a sci- establish worship by the Hindus prior to the This court is tasked with ence draws on multi- annexation of Oudh by the British in 1857. the resolution of a dispute Adisciplinary or The Muslims have offered no evidence to indi- whose origins are as old as trans-disciplinary cate that they were in exclusive possession of the the idea of India itself. The approaches. In considering inner structure prior to 1857 since the date of the events associated with the the nature of archaeologi- construction in 16th century. After setting up of dispute have spanned the cal evidence, it is impor- the grill-brick wall, the structure of the mosque Mughal empire, colonial tant to remember that continued to exist. rule and the present con- archaeology as a branch of We have already concluded that the three-way stitutional regime. knowledge draws suste- bifurcation by the high court was legally unsus- nance from the science of tainable. Even as a matter of maintaining public ‘JURISTIC PERSONALITY’ learning, the wisdom of peace and tranquillity, the solution which com- experience and the vision mended itself to the High Court is not feasible. egal systems across which underlies the The disputed site admeasures all of 1500 square the world evolved process of interpreta- yards. Dividing the land will not subserve the Lfrom periods of dark- tion… interest of either of the parties or secure a lasting ness where legal personali- Archaeology combines sense of peace and tranquillity. ty was denied to natural both science and art. As a persons to the present day science, it is based on the A kar sevak before Babri where in constitutional principle of objective eval- democracies almost all uation. As an art, it relies natural persons are also on a vision which is Masjid’s demolition legal persons in the eyes of realised through years of the law. Legal systems commitment to the pursuit In Ayodhya, December 1992, shortly before the Babri have also extended the con- of knowledge based on the Masjid Structure was demolished by VHP, Bajrang Dal cept of legal personality histories of eras. and RSS activists. — SONDEEP SHANKAR beyond natural persons. Archaeology as a disci- This has taken place pline cannot be belittled as through the creation of the unreliable... The supposed extreme positions and belong to two different artificial legal person or distinction between sci- search for the often elusive time periods between juristic person, where an ence as embodying median. three to five centuries object or thing which is absolute truth and archae- apart; There is no specific not a natural person is ology as unguided subjec- UPHOLDING ASI CONCLU- finding that the underly- nonetheless recognised as tivity is one of degree not SION ON EXCAVATIONS ing structure was a temple a legal person in the law… of universes. Yet as in dedicated to Lord Ram; A legal person possesses a other disciplines of its AT THE DISPUTED SITE and capability to bear inter- genre, archaeology is as t would be unfair to Significantly, the ASI has ests, rights and duties. much a matter of process reject the conclusions, not specifically opined on The recognition of the as it is of deduction. Iwhich have been whether a temple was Hindu idol as a legal or The archaeologist must arrived at by an expert demolished for the con- juristic person is therefore deal with recoveries as team which carried out the struction of the disputed based on two premises much as the finds‘ from excavation. Yet the report structure though it has employed by courts. The them. Interpretation is its must be read contextually. emerged from the report first is to recognise the heart, if not its soul. Having said this, we must that the disputed structure pious purpose of the testa- Interpretations do vary also read the ASI report was constructed on the site tor as a legal entity capa- and experts disagree. with the following caveats: and utilised the foundation ble of holding property... When the law perceives Though the excavation and material of the under- The second is the merging an exercise of interpreta- has revealed the existence lying structure. of the pious purpose itself tion it must recognize mar- of a circular shrine, con- Consequently, when the and the idol which embod- gins of error and differ- ceivably a Shiva shrine ASI report will be placed ies the pious purpose to ences of opinion. dating back to the seventh in balance in terms of its ensure the fulfilment of Archaeological findings to ninth century AD, the evidentiary value in the the pious purpose… So are susceptible of multiple underlying structure course of this judgment, it conceived, the Hindu idol interpretations… So long belongs to twelfth century is crucial for the court to is a legal person. as we understand the lim- AD. The circular shrine sift between what the …In a country like ours its and boundaries of the and the underlying struc- report finds and what it where contesting claims discipline, we can eschew ture with pillar bases leaves unanswered. APPLICABILITY OF LAW IN CASE he disputed property has fallen within the Tterritory of various rulers and legal regimes. The question of which party, king or religion had a first claim to the disput- ed site is one of significant historical interest. But this court must determine what are the legal conse- quences arising from such an enquiry. Human history is testa- ment to the rise and fall of rulers and regimes. The law cannot be used as a device to reach back in time and provide a legal remedy to every person who disagrees with the course which history has taken. The courts of today can- not take cognisance of his- torical rights and wrongs unless it is shown that their legal consequences are enforceable in the pres- ent. Thus, before this Court embarks on a lengthy historical enquiry, it is important to consider the extent to which acts done and rights accrued under previous legal regimes have legal conse- quences today under our present laws. THE ASIAN AGE 4 JUDGMENT DAY SUNDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2019 | NEW DELHI Muslims failed to prove possession FROM PAGE 1 The Muslims have offered no evidence to On the inner court yard indicate that they were in on which Babri Masjid exclusive possession of the stood since 1528 till Dece- inner structure prior to mber 6, 1992 when it was 1857 since the date of the demolished, the court said. “As regards the construction in the six- inner courtyard, there is teenth century. After the evidence on a preponder- setting up of the grill-brick ance of probabilities to wall, the structure of the establish worship by the mosque continued to exist Hindus prior to the and there is evidence to annexation of Oudh by indicate that namaz was the British in 1857.” offered within its Rejecting the Muslim claim over the disputed precincts.” site under the three — THE SUPREME COURT domes of the now demol- 5-judge bench ished Babri Masjid, also described as inner court yard, the court said: “The in 1950, the worship of Muslims have offered no Hindu idols placed in the evidence to indicate that inner courtyard right they were in exclusive under the central dome possession of the inner of Babri Masid was per- structure prior to 1857 mitted. since the date of the con- Saying that the struction in the sixteenth Muslims have been century. After the setting “wrongly deprived of a up of the grill-brick wall, mosque which had been the structure of the constructed well over 450 mosque continued to years ago”, the judgment exist and there is evi- says, “during the penden- dence to indicate that cy of the suits, the entire namaz was offered with- structure of the mosque in its precincts.” was brought down in a Recalling that the Babri calculated act of destroy- mosque was “desecrat- ing a place of public wor- ed” on the intervening ship.” night of 22/23 December, Noting that the Hindus 1949, and the exclusion of have not brought on Muslims from “worship record any document and possession” of the showing the conferment mosque, the court said: of the title of the disput- “The ouster of the ed site to them and had Ayodhya residents celebrate ‘Deepavali’ Muslims on that occa- just produced records sion was not through any showing grants received Residents of Sadatganj area in Ayodhya burst fire crackers outside their houses on Saturday to celebrate the Supreme Court’s judgement to give dispute land to Hindus for the lawful authority but by them for maintaining construction of a Ram temple, ending decades-long litigation. — PTI through an act which the mosque, the court was calculated to deprive said, “This document, them of their place of even if it is accepted as worship.” authentic, indicates a The court further noted grant for specific purpos- that after the entire dis- es and does not confer IT’S MODI OR puted site was taken over the title to the disputed YOGI’S NAME and receiver appointed land.” EVERYWHERE Ram temple work SC verdict bolsters

FROM PAGE 1 PM’s Hindu image A “Peepli live” situation pre- FROM PAGE 1 ■ WITH THE top court vailed in the temple town ruling in favour of the today after the verdict. to begin in April As the Supreme Court’s Hindu plaintiff, the BJP A few hours before the judg- verdict yet again bol- ment, some shops in Faizabad stered Prime Minister government has nearly opened while others remained YOJNA GUSAI ■ The VHP, which spearheaded Narendra Modi’s image ticked all the Hindutva shut anticipating trouble. As NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 the Sangh’s mandir campaign, as “Hindu Hriday boxes it had in its kitty one proceeded towards had asserted that almost 60 per Samrat,” the original — Abrogation of Article Sahabgunj and beyond to With the Supreme Court “facili- Let us not stretch it poster boy of Hindutva 370 and NRC. Ayodhya, all shops were tating” the construction of a cent of pillars and beams of the and the architect of the closed while local residents “grand” Ram Mandir in shrine are ready. Ram Janmabhoomi ■ THE ONLY major core were scattered, animatedly Ayodhya, the Rashtriya movement, L.K. Advani, issue remaining to be discussing the outcome of the Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is lowed by VHP working presi- further: Shahi Imam remained in the shad- clinched is the Uniform verdict or the possible scenar- now hoping to lay the temple’s dent Alok Kumar. They said the ows. No one in the party Civil Code. ios. Not a single discussion foundation stone on the ‘Ram verdict “should not be seen as ASHHAR KHAN We accept the court order talked about the old ended without the mention of Navmi’ next April. anybody’s victory or defeat” and NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 and the Hindu-Muslim issue warhorse today. forget any bitterness one “Modi” or “Yogi.” While the Sangh and its affili- the “decision is in line with the should come to an end now Later in the evening, may have” and observed It was as if each knew what ate VHP gave a coordinated sentiments of the whole The All India Muslim Personal Muslims of India want peace in the Mr Advani issued a short that “there is no place for the verdict would be, and they response on the verdict, assert- nation.” Even the BJP, whose Law Board (AIMPLB) on Satu- country. Before the court’s order, statement saying “I feel fear, bitterness and nega- even challenged one another. ing that “truth and justice” have top brass had held meeting with rday expressed dissatisfaction vindicated and deeply tivity in new India.” Others sat around on their ter- prevailed and that the verdict is the RSS recently, echoed their with the verdict. All Muslim all Muslims had said that they blessed that the Supreme With the top court rul- races and balconies, watching neither a victory nor a defeat, views. leaders appealed to the commu- would accept the court’s order, Court has given its unan- ing in favour of the each vehicle or passer-by with sources said the completion of “We welcome this decision. nity to ensure that peace and whatever it be. imous verdict paving the Hindu plaintiff, the BJP suspicion. the temple could coincide with This case was going on for harmony prevails and nobody — DELHI’S SHAHI IMAM way for the construction government has nearly In front of barricades, the next Assembly polls in Uttar decades and it reached the right takes law into their hands. of a magnificent temple ticked all the Hindutva national and local TV set up Pradesh in 2022. For the past one conclusion. We wanted the issue “We are dissatisfied with cer- for Lord Rama...” boxes it had in its kitty — their bases and waited for the week, the RSS has been appeal- to end, this has happened. All tain findings of the Supre-me Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central A VHP functionary felt Abrogation of Article 370 verdict. ing for peace and harmony over sides were evaluated and truth Court. We respect the Supr-eme Waqf Board which was one of that the “closure” of the and NRC. The only major In colonies with Muslim res- the Supreme Court verdict pro- and justice have been highlight- Court verdict and respectfully the main litigants in the case, Ram Janmabhoomi dis- core issue remaining to idents, green flags and nounced on Saturday. ed,” Mr Bhagwat said. disagree with certain aspects of on Saturday welcomed the ver- pute is bound to add to be clinched is the “Unif- buntings were visible, but the The VHP, which spearheaded Mr Kumar said the verdict is a it,” said AIMPLB secretary dict and said it has no plans to Modi’s legacy of steering orm Civil Code.” Some Milad un Nabi celebrations the Sangh’s mandir campaign, “decisive step towards construc- Zafaryab Jilani. challenge it. The Shia Central the nation towards the ultra right-wing outfits were subdued. The adminis- has urged the Central govern- tion of a grand Ram temple” Mr Jilani said they will study Waqf Board, whose appeal was grand vision of establis- also want the word “secu- tration had cancelled the fes- ment to set up a trust for the and that it was a “day of happi- the judgement and may seek a dismissed by the apex court, hing a Hindu Rashtra.” lar” to be removed from tivities due to security rea- construction of the Ram ness for Hindus the world over.” review. “Even the inner court- has welcomed the verdict. However, after taking the Constitution. sons, which disturbed many. Mandir and had asserted that He also noted that “Hindu has yard has been given to the other Accepting the verdict, the over the reign of the At a time when the eco- By afternoon, all streets almost 60 per cent of pillars and the nature to live in maryada” party. It is not just,” he argued, Shahi Imam of the Jama nation, Prime Minister nomic slowdown has put were again deserted amidst a beams of the shrine are ready. therefore “the expression of joy adding the working committee Masjid in Delhi, Syed Ahmed has always spoken of a the government on the tight security vigil. Preempting any move to take cannot be aggressive.” of the board will soon sit and Bukhari, said on Saturday the united India and stressed backfoot and resulted in However, Ram Lalla political mileage or commu- When asked about the other discuss. “Whatever legal matter should not be stretched on the mantra — Sabke its poor show in Haryana remained available as usual, nalise the verdict, the RSS had religious sites at Kashi and recourse is possible we will further. “We accept the court saath, Sabka vikas. and Maharashtra Assem- from 7 am to 11 am, a rest, and barred its leaders to react or act Mathura, Mr Kumar said the take,” Mr Jilani said. order and the Hindu-Muslim He had also urged peo- bly polls, the Supreme then again from 1 pm to 5 pm. in any manner on the verdict. VHP is “currently focussed on “We had hoped that the apex issue, which had been going on ple of the country not to Court’s verdict came as a But he had fewer visitors RSS leaders were also holding construction “of the Ram tem- court will pronounce its verdict for several years, should come construe the Ayodhya major boost for the party. today. talks with Muslim religious ple and it has no time for other not keeping the faith factor in to an end now Muslims of India verdict as a “matter of Some of the BJP spin While all roads leading to the leaders and influencers to check demands. mind, but available historical want peace in the country. victory or loss.” doctors felt that the ver- temple were deserted, a man any move to aggressive “About Kashi and Mathura, I facts and evidence,” said AIM- Before the court’s order, all Addressing the nation dict would offer the BJP dressed up as Lord Hanuman response on the verdict. must make it clear that the judg- PLB member Kamal Farooqui. Muslims had said that they hours after the verdict, a “fighting chance in walked past, chanting “Jai It was RSS supremo Mohan ment is not the end of the story, However, Mr Zafar Ahmad would accept the court’s order, Mr Modi described Delhi and Jharkhand Shri Ram”. Bhagwat, who first reacted, fol- it is the beginning,” he said. Farooqui, the chairman of whatever it be.” “November 9 as a day to Assembly polls.”

in Ayodhya holds a “special and sacred place in the hearts” Indians, even those living abroad. Cops were ready to join kar sevaks “Therefore, it is gratifying that their belief and sentiments have been FROM PAGE 1 removed 10 to 12 bricks He said a 20-day camp is time they wanted to know respected....I also welcome the apex when he was caught. held every year in three why I was leaving the holy court’s decision that five acres of land As I moved through the The bonhomie between places in the country to town. An official posted at be given at a prominent place for the holy town wearing a two- the kar sevaks and the impart training to Sangh Faizabad railway station building of a mosque in day stubble and soiled Uttar Pradesh policemen activists. “This year we allowed me to leave only Ayodhya.....the time has come to leave clothes, I interacted with was striking. They bought were taught how to handle after I convinced him that I all contention and acrimony behind many PAC men. Always, I us tea and, later, one of explosives. Even some would be back with my and embrace communal concord and was treated with respect, them invited us over for Kashmiris were there,” he Kashmiri Hindu friends peace,” said the BJP veteran. even deference. One night breakfast to their camp, added. who too were keen to per- Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, some kar sevaks and I spent including many kar sevaks Two boys from Hissar form kar seva on D-Day. who said November 9 will be written hours chatting with a group who were carrying arms. took me to their tent. They As I returned to Delhi on in “golden letters in the history of of PAC personnel. “We are The fact that I was a showed me a flick knife and December 3, 1992, to file my India,” said “He (Advani) had taken solidly behind you. Don’t Kashmiri Hindu and had taught me how to use it. I reports, I recalled my clos- A file photo of L.K. Advani’s rath yatra. out ‘Rath-Yatra’ for this. I will surely worry,” said a policeman. travelled to Ayodhya at my also saw some sadhus car- est encounter with death meet him and seek his blessings.” “If we are ordered on expense seemed to impress rying wireless sets with during this masquerade — Earlier, Mr Joshi said the apex December 6 to attack you, people no end. them. A sadhu told me he One day a journalist friend court’s verdict should be accepted we will lay down our arms A saint and a boy from was keeping an eye on had yelled out my name Social media recalls Advani’s yatra with an “open mind” by all communi- and join you,” reassured Rajasthan bowed before me those people who were mov- when I was with a group of ties. Former firebrand and BJP leader another. “Come what may, when they heard this. They ing suspiciously around the kar sevaks in Ayodhya. I FROM PAGE 1 ed in social media. Also, remembered Uma Bharti said Mr Advani’s “devo- we will force the paramili- said Hindus needed site. “We are keeping a didn’t know how to react on the day was late VHP stalwart tion to temple cause is at the root of tary to surrender,” said a staunch supporters like me. close watch on journalists and was on the verge of a Sidelined within the BJP, both Advani Ashok Singhal, the crusader of the the BJP’s success and it will be com- third. The boy from Jaipur told who are staying in Shaan-e- breakdown because I knew and his colleague Murli Manohar Ram janmabhoomi movement. Mr ing back to power for another term.” Some days ago a constable me that he had been Avadh hotel in Faizabad,” the extent to which the Joshi are members of the party’s Advani and Mr Joshi are still facing She is also facing charges in the Babri of the PAC had been sus- assigned the job of security, he said. hardliners would go to ‘margdarshak mandal,’ which was trial in the 1992 Babri mosque demoli- masjid demolition case. pended for removing bricks which probably meant It was with great difficul- avenge breach of trust. formed in 2014 but has not officially tion case. Ms Bharti, who met Mr Advani after from the disputed struc- being with the PAC or the ty that I managed to leave Somehow I managed the held a single meeting since then. Mr Advani noted that “Ram and the verdict, said it was he who ture, i.e. the Babri Masjid. Uttar Pradesh police. Ayodhya. On my way to disaster by embracing my Pictures of Mr Advani, flanked by Ramayana occupy an esteemed place brought the BJP and Ayodhya move- A policeman told me that A boy from Faridabad sug- Faizabad, I was grilled friend and confiding in Mr Joshi and some other BJP leaders in India’s cultural and civilisational ment to “this position” and hailed the the PAC constable had gested that I join the RSS. again by kar sevaks. This him. during the Ratra Yatra were circulat- heritage” and the Ram Janmabhoomi verdict. THE ASIAN AGE 5 JUDGMENT DAY SUNDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2019 | NEW DELHI

Has the top court done its job? It can be said the court has picked peace over justice and, arguably, pragmatism over principles of fairness

Valay Singh

aced with an intractable dispute laden with People react after the Supreme Court verdict on Saturday. The judgment in the politically sensitive Ayodhya land dispute case is historic in more than one sense as it politics and religion, layered with history is perhaps for the first time in the 69-year history of the Supreme Court that a verdict was delivered on Saturday. — AP, AFP, PTI Fand fiction, myth and propaganda, it has done what was widely surmised by many who have followed the dispute over the years. It can be said the court has picked peace over justice, and arguably pragmatism over principles of fairness and equity. Not many court verdicts are perfect and almost none that leaves every party satisfied. Given the significance of the Ayodhya issue to India’s recent past, portentous present and future Shah reviews security course as a multi-religious and richly diverse democracy, the Supreme Court had a rare oppor- tunity to stamp its authority as the protector of NSA Ajit Doval, home secretary Ajit Bhalla & IB chief Arvind Kumar also present justice, equity and rule of law. Has the court made good use of it? AGE CORRESPONDENT Since 1855, when the issue first flared, over not NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 MEA briefs envoys the mosque but in fact, over the demolition of a Assam Muslims to donate `5L for Mandir mosque atop the nearby Hanumangarhi temple, Home minister Amit Shah on on Ayodhya verdict each chapter of this sordid saga has reflected our Saturday chaired a high level MANOJ ANAND ty of the indigenous Muslims country,” Mr Aowal, who is New Delhi: Top officials of the country’s evolution. It has also reflected the appli- meeting to review security GUWAHATI, NOV. 9 to country’s unity and to also senior BJP spokesperson, MEA, including foreign secre- cation of justice, initially by the British when across the country in wake of “cherished aspiration” of said. tary Vijay Gokhale, on suits asking for rights over the Ram Chabutra the Supreme Court verdict on In what has been seen as an Hindus to see the temple is The 21 organisations repre- Saturday briefed envoys of were dismissed by the Courts, and later in post- the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri attempt to strengthen commu- constructed in Ayodhya. sent Goria, Moria, Deshiya, certain influential countries, independence communally scarred free India, Masjid dispute. Mr Shah per- nal harmony, 21 organisations JSPA chairman, Syed Jalha, Maimal and Kachari including some of the P-5 when the local magistrate allegedly connived and sonally spoke to some of the representing indigenous Muminul Aowal said that all Muslims, whose ancestries nations and the Islamic world ensured that the mosque was locked and trans- chief ministers to asses the sit- Assamese Muslims have not the 21 organisations will raise converted to Islam from differ- over the verdict on the ferred to government custody once the Ram-Sita uation in their states, directing only described the verdict on the money and donate it once ent ethnic groups of the state. Ayodhya issue. Apart from idols were forcibly implanted by a band of sadhus them to put in place all security Ayodhya as historic but also the trust is formed. “We are On the other hand, All India foreign secretary Gokhale, the in 1949. At that time too, political considerations measures to ensure no unto- decided to donate `5 Lakh to happy that the protracted dis- United Democratic Front MEA’s secretary (east) Ms of the communal kind were the motivation but ward incident takes place. the trust that will oversee the pute has been resolved (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Vijay Thakur Singh and secre- the staunchly secular, India’s first Prime Minister National security advisor Ajit construction of the Ram through the historic judge- Ajmal said, “We respect the tary (West) Gitesh Sarma also Jawaharlal Nehru ensured that the new republic Doval, Union home secretary Mandir. ment of the Supreme Court. Supreme Court’s verdict on briefed various envoys sepa- was enthralled more by socialism than narrow Ajit Bhalla, Intelligence The organisations under the We will donate `5 lakh because the Babri masjid dispute. Our rately, sources said. It is sectarianism. However, as the promise of a new bureau chief Arvind Kumar banner Jonogusthiya we also want to be part of this appeal is that post-verdict, peo- understood that the briefings and equal India proved hollower with every pass- and some other senior security Somonnoy Parishad Asom historic decision that will fur- ple of Assam and across the were part of the practice of ing decade, and a new politics of identity and and intelligence officials were (JSPA) said that the decision ther strengthen the spirit of country keep peace and har- briefing foreign envoys about appeasement too root, the Ayodhya dispute also present during the crucial was an expression of solidari- unity and harmony in the mony intact.” “important developments.” emerged gradually on to the national centrestage. meeting. A toxic culture of elitism, apathy and vote-bank Senior officials gave the home politics (of not just the religious kind) infected minister a detailed presenta- ing institutes would remain IN AYODHYA SPECIALLY, A tal, Delhi police had increased police issued prohibitory the body politic of the country by the mid 1980s tion of the security situation in closed till Monday. Home min- security across the city and orders against gathering of and the sudden death of Prime Minister Indira the country, particularly in istry had earlier dispatched MASSIVE SECURITY COR- stepped up patrolling in sensi- five or more persons till Gandhi inadvertently precipitated the rise of reli- Uttar Pradesh, as Ayodhya was more than 4,000 central para- DON WAS THROWN tive areas along with monitor- November 18. Rajasthan chief gion-based politics centred around the Babri considered to be a sensitive military personnel also to the AROUND THE TOWN WITH ing of the social media plat- minister Ashok Gehlot also masjid-Ram Janambhoomi issue. At least, even if area. Earlier, even Prime state. MORE THAN 60 COMPANIES forms. Delhi government had directed senior police officers Nehru couldn’t see the mosque restored back to Minister Narendra Modi and In Ayodhya specially, a mas- asked all private schools to to ensure law and order in the Muslims, he didn’t allow the ugly head of com- other senior political and reli- sive security cordon was OF PAC AND PARAMILITARY remain closed on Saturday. state. He asked the officers to munalism to rear its head in mainstream politics. gious leaders had requested thrown around the town with FORCES Officials said that social media make additional deployment in Consequently, even though justice was not done, people to maintain peace and more than 60 companies of PAC posts and WhatsApp messages sensitive areas. In the newly more injustice was put in abeyance. respect following the Supreme and paramilitary forces. that trigger hatred or violence created Union Territory of However, his grandson, Rajiv Gandhi who had to Court order. Vehicle checking was also any kind of violence. State would lead to severe punish- Jammu and Kashmir as well, overnight turn from an aviation pilot to Prime Security agencies across the intensified near the chief minister Yogi Adityanath ment, including jail terms. In prohibitory orders under Minister was neither as politically astute as his country had made elaborate Ramjanmabhoomi police sta- also reviewed law and order in adjoining Noida, the police said Section 144 of the CrPC were mother, nor ideologically committed as his grand- arrangements to even monitor tion, “karyashala” of Ram each district and appealed for that action could also be taken issued, which bans assembly of father. He was not even a politican like either. By the social media posts to Janmabhoomi Nyas and other peace. Home ministry on under the Gangsters Act and more than four people. Schools the time Rajiv was thrust into the job, Indian pol- ensure that no inflammatory parts of the town. Thursday had also issued an the National Security Act. The and colleges also remained itics was corrupted to the core and its govern- content was posted to trigger Security forces also deployed advisory to all states and UTs to local police also conducted a closed and all examinations ment reduced to a club of industrialists and polit- any violence. Security at all drones and CCTV cameras ensure adequate security flag march in sensitive areas of scheduled for November 9 have ical dynasts who were often less trustworthy in religious and other crowded used to monitor the situation. arrangements are made. The the state, including Noida. In been postponed. In Karnataka the public’s eye than even the government places with high foot fall was Temporary jails were set up in railway police too had can- Mumbai and rest of too, the state government machinery they controlled. Unable to stand up to beefed up in Uttar Pradesh. different parts of Ayodhya and celled leaves of its personnel Maharashtra also, the police declared that all schools and first the Muslim clergy he negated a SC verdict The state government directed other sensitive areas to detain and stepped up vigil at 78 major remained on high alert. colleges will remain closed on through an Act of Parliament. The RSS backed that all educational and train- people in case they resorted to stations. In the national capi- In Mumbai especially, the November 9. and VHP-led Ram temple movement, which was just two years old then, In 1986, Rajiv Gandhi widely arranged the opening of the locks of the mosque but only Hindus were allowed to worship there. A few years later, his party, in a desperate SC says Akhara not ‘Rajiv blunders helped BJP rise’ attempt to return to power launched its campaign from Ayodhya where Rajiv promised he would ASHHAR KHAN first stone of the proposed tem- usher in Ram Rajya. During this time it was in NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 ple was placed. At this juncture, this context that courts too played a role that was Shebait of Ram Lalla Rajiv Gandhi riddled with trou- not above criticism, the admitting of the Ram Former Union home secretary, bles. His mishandling of the sit- Lalla Viraajman, the deity suit in 1989 was certain- AGE CORRESPONDENT Akhara. “A ‘shebait’ is a per- Madhav Godbole, who quit after uation in Punjab, Kashmir and ly a decision that attracted criticism. What could NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 son who is appointed by tem- the demolition of Babri Mosque Sri Lanka had resulted into the have been resolved as a property dispute was ple authorities to serve the in 1992 was not far from the rise of terrorist activites in the allowed to fester till it became a chimera for plu- The Supreme Court on deity, maintain the property truth, when he described former country. To make matters worse ralism and secularism. The destruction of the Saturday said in its verdict in and manage it. Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi as for him, V.P. Singh quit the Babri masjid by Karsevaks despite the presence of the Ram Janmabhoomi- The office of ‘shebait’ the “second most prominent kar Congress and started his own thousands of security forces and SC’s own moni- Babri Masjid title dispute comes with rights. A pujari sevak, after Nayar, the district party. Rajiv Gandhi thought the tors razed to the ground the already crumbling case that the Nirmohi gains no independent right magistrate of Faizabad, who Rajiv Gandhi pandering to the majority com- rule of law in the country. Akhara, a litigant in the case, despite having conducted the encouraged the clandestine munity could be the only way to All through the Ram temple movement, the pro- is not a “shebait” or devotee ceremonies for a long period placement of the Ram Lalla idol ern the Muslim personal laws. consoldiate his position. Toeing temple groups had asserted that matters of faith of the deity Ram Lalla. of time. Thus, the mere pres- in the Babri Masjid on Rajiv Gandhi’s “regressive” a Hindutva line, Rajiv Gandhi cannot be decided by courts. And on 6th A bench headed by Chief ence of pujaris does not vest December 22, 1949.” move upset the secular minded talked of a ‘Ram Rajya’ during December, the court’s orders were flouted with Justice Ranjan Gogoi said in them any right to be she- It was Rajiv Gandhi’s political Muslim leaders and one of the his election campaigns. the same impunity with which the three domes of the Akhara’s suit was barred baits”, said the bench and blunders of conceding to the prominent Muslim face in his The assurance of a “Ram the 16 th century mosque were pulled down. In the by limitation. The bench in ruled that “at its highest, demands of the fundamentalists Cabinet, Arif Mohammed Khan Rajya” could not save Rajiv subsequent decade and a half, India seemingly its order said the Akhara is these exhibits show that the led to the resurgence of the BJP quit in protest against the move. Gandhi, who lost the 1989 elec- turned its back to Ayodhya and fixated over eco- not a shebait of the deity of Nirmohis were present in and revival of the Ayodhya dis- This decision opened the can tions to V.P. Singh led nomic growth, corruption and misgovernance. Lord Ram and instead hand- and around the structure and pute, which rekindled scars of of worms. The Hindu funda- Opposition. However, his move The Allahabad high court verdict too had provid- ed over the entire 2.77 acre of assisted the pilgrims.” It does partition and eventually com- mentalists, including the BJP to open the locks benefitted the ed a compromise formula based on prioritising disputed area to Ram not, however, evidence any pleted the division between launched a scathing and relent- BJP, which stepped on the issue peace over justice, but failed to deliver on either. Janmabhoomi Nyas. The management over the idols Hindus and Muslims in the less attack on Rajiv Gandhi over and in 1989 the party tally rose In the last few years, ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chants have Nirmohi Akhara, which was or the disputed site itself, country. the Sha Bano issue. Surprising from two to eighty Lok Sabha instilled sadly been appropriated by criminals awarded one-third of the dis- said the bench. It was in 1985, Rajiv Gandhi many, Rajiv Gandhi in his so- seats. Then came L.K. Advani’s who wilfully terrorise Muslims and dalits. puted land by the Allahabad The Akhara welcomed the reeling under various contro- called balancing act, ordered the repeated rath yatras for the con- The verdict been delivered on Barawafat, the high court in 2010, had also apex court decision of giving versies, including the Bofors locks on the Ram Janam struction of the Ram Mandir day celebrated by Muslims to mark the birthday made a claim to the entire it an “adequate representa- scam. In a bid to get out of the Bhoomi-Babri Masjid in and the consistent rise of the of Prophet Mohammad. In view of the sensitive disputed land stating that tion in the trust”. “Nirmohi crisis, Rajiv began his mistakes Ayodhya to be removed. Until BJP. If Rajiv Gandhi ushered in nature of the case, the administration has they were the original Akhara is grateful that of tinkering with India’s socio- then, a priest had been permit- the rise of the BJP, the former imposed Section 144 and banned processions and “pujaris” who worshipped Supreme Court has recog- religious fabric. ted to perform puja once a year Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha celebrations of any kind and by any community. Lord Ram at the temple at his nised our fight,” said a office The first was to overturn the for the idols installed there in Rao consolidate the Hindutva And although Muslims across the spectrum have birthplace. bearer of Nirmohi Akhara. Supreme Court verdict in the 1949. This step catalysed the rise brigade with inaction during welcomed the verdict, there is a lingering feeling However, the bench unani- “Central government shall Sha Bano case on the triple talaq of the right wing politics in the demolition of the Babri among some once again the rule of law has been mously ruled that possession form in three to four months issue. This was an attempt to India. And BJP, which that time Masjid by the Hindu fundamen- selectively applied to them. This is an impression of Ayodhya’s contested prop- a scheme for setting up of a appease the Muslim fundamen- had only two MPs, rose like a talists in 1992. After the demoli- that the Supreme Court should do well to correct erty will vest in a trust to be trust. They shall make neces- talists and the Muslim Personal Phoenix. tion, the Central government in the future course by closely monitoring the formed by the central govern- sary arrangements for the law Board. Rajiv Gandhi enact- In 1989, Rajiv Gandhi went went ahead and dismissed the implementation of its landmark verdict. Only ment and also directed that management of trust and ed a law abolishing the alimony ahead with negotiations with Kalyan Singh led BJP govern- then it would have finished the job. representation in the trust construction of the temple,” provision in conformity with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and ment in Uttar Pradesh and vir- The writer is the author of Ayodhya: City of may be given to Nirmohi CJI Ranjan Gogoi said. the Sharia that principally gov- allowed Shilanayas, when the tually made him a martyr. Faith, City of Discord c m y k c m y k

THE ASIAN AGE 6 EDIT SUNDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2019 | NEW DELHI LETTERS Subhani India is spared worse, 1992 REDUX The CJI-led Constitution Bench says in the Ayodhya verdict that the destruction of the masjid in chapter of follies over December 1992 was in breach of the SC order. Hence the judgment giv- he Supreme Court of India appeared to follow its own precedent ing the entire 2.77-acre land, includ- of “satisfying the collective conscience of society” in settling the ing the demolished mosque site, for Ayodhya title case and declaring the disputed 2.77 acres as the construction of the Ram temple belonging to Lord Ram. The court essentially threw out the 2010 amounts to legalisation of the act of T mosque destruction. It appears the Allahabad high court trifurcation of the disputed site on the grounds that the 2010 order was self-contradictory (it said one of the parties had demolition of the masjid made it exceeded the time of limitations, and then awarded that same party a easier for the bench to pronounce share in the three parts). Its justification was that from before 1856, when such a verdict. the British Raj erected a wall-grill outside the mosque that lead to inter- N.A. Joseph communal riots, it was clear that Hindus had been worshipping the area as Lord Ram’s birthplace. The only thing that puzzled the court is what Ettumanoor, Kerala happened in the 400 years between the time when a Hindu structure was archeologically found to last exist in the spot, and the time Babur erect- ed the mosque. It is a settlement that will satisfy majoritarian India — it is akin to the SALUTE TO COURT reincarnation of the Ram Temple for the hardcore devout — though one Kudos to the Supreme Court bench wonders if the majority of the majority community will feel anything which gave a brave and bold ver- more than indifference to the resolution of this 70-year-old dispute (or dict in the vexed Ayodhya land dis- 165-year-old, or 400 year-old dispute, depending on whom you talk to). pute, pending for about 70 years. Religion is said to be the opiate of the masses, but from most the reaction This was achieved in a record con- is one of exhaustion or ennui, their attention only momentarily deflect- tinuous hearing for 40 days in the ed from the increasing despair over the deteriorating economy that was stipulated time, which deserves a sunk in no small part by the needless and nutty demonetisation almost salute. It is proved that if you have exactly three years ago. strong willpower, anything impos- One consolation is that in the entire history of the Babri Masjid’s exis- sible can be made possible. tence, from 1528 to 1992, the Supreme Court found three instances of law- breaking: the 1934 attack on the mosque, which lessened the frequency of A Solomonic verdict, Manik Sathe prayers by Muslims; the 1949 placement of idols inside the mosque, Gaddiannaram, Hyderabad which led to a shutdown of even Friday prayers; and the December 6, 1992, demolition of the masjid. This last observation should help in the criminal case against those who conspired to demolish the mosque, the judgment of which is due to happen next spring. TIME TO MOVE ON The court decided that the Muslims would be compensated with five but not quite closure November 9, 2019, is a historic day acres — nearly twice the disputed area — in a place to be decided by when the Constitution Bench of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Central government within the larger Faizabad’s then DM, Ratlam. It was a horribly Supreme Court brought to close an 67 acres at the site, or by chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s state govern- K.K.K. Nayar, ICS, did not uncomfortable journey. A issue that was opened with the ment within the city of have the idols removed truck chassis is not opti- demolition of a mosque 27 years Ayodhya. It is to happen despite being explicitly mised for comfort but to ago. Though a wrong cannot be at the same time the dis- The Indian Muslim is reeling under a Mohan Guruswamy ordered by the chief secre- take a load, besides the series of blows that characterise the righted by a new wrong, it is time puted area is handed tary, Bhagwan Sahay, road was pockmarked. Mr for members of both the Hindu and over to a trust that the reign of the current Central ICS, and IGP B.N. Lahiri. Advani showing me the Muslim faiths to place their collec- government will appoint government, in which Muslims Mr Nayar was rewarded Western-style toilet pro- tive trust in its wisdom and move to construct the Ram around the country are picked up for his exertions by get- vided by his chelas and on. In fact, this has largely been the temple. This consolation history books. ting elected as the Jan commented that he defied and thrown into jail on a whimsy, he Supreme case, with one of the litigants, prize can hardly please Court bench All through the 164 Sangh MP from nearby anyone to sit on it when Mohmmed Iqbal Ansari, even the Indian Muslim — it under dubious charges ranging from made a series of years of torturous transit Bahraich. Let’s also not the rath was moving. But promising to abide by the verdict. is an apt metaphor for cattle-smuggling to terrorism; where interesting obs- through our courts, forget that it was in Rajiv the rath was carrying the the forced eviction and a whole population is locked up in ervations before Muslims didn’t agree to Gandhi’s time that the burden of history, and all Ramesh G. Jethwani ghettoisation that the Tit delivered its verdict. It share even the chabutara court-ordered lock on the along people thronged to community has faced their home barracks in an open held the installation of with Hindus as part of a purported “Janmabhoo- greet Mr Advani astride Bengaluru, Karnataka since December 1992. prison called Kashmir; and where idols in 1949 inside the for- grand compromise. They mi” was broken, at Arun it. It took the BJP from But what is the Indian the fear of disenfranchisement by mer Babri Masjid was wanted all, and all they Nehru’s behest, with the two Lok Sabha seats in Muslim to do? When the the National Register of Citizens has illegal. It held the 1992 got was five acres of land Congress even perform- 1984 to 85 in 1989. There WRITING ON WALL “collective conscience of created a nationwide atmosphere of demolition unlawful. Yet at some other place in ing “shilanyas”. There is was no looking back for society” had to be satis- it granted the disputed Ayodhya. Even if a no dispute that the claim the RSS from then. But The surfeit of statements fied with the 2013 hang- paranoia and panic. site to the Hindu commu- mosque is built there, I has been a historical one, when Lalu Prasad Yadav, ing of Afzal Guru for his nity to build a temple on don’t think it will be and even in 1947 an then Bihar’s chief minis- on the Ayodhya verdict role in the 2001 the disputed 2.77 acres of called the Babri Masjid. attempt was made to seize ter, stopped the tamasha by the Sangh and its affil- Parliament attack — a case that was tenuous at best — then the Kashmiri debris-strewn land. Now There can be little deny- the property. The problem in Samastipur and arrest- iates asking followers not Muslim was helpless. This time the Indian Muslim is reeling under a factor this with the 67 ing that like Shahi Idgah was allowed to fester ed Mr Advani, he rightly series of blows that characterise the reign of the current Central govern- acres acquired by the at Mathura or Gyanvapi because it suited all par- said: “DCM Toyota tha, to celebrate the final ver- ment, in which Muslims around the country are picked up and thrown Uttar Pradesh govern- Masjid in Varanasi, the ties. It was inflamed by koi uran khatola nahi!” dict on the Ayodhya title into jail on a whimsy, under dubious charges ranging from cattle-smug- ment around the hitherto Babri Masjid was a sym- intemperate language by But the rath has not gling to terrorism; where a whole population is locked up in their home disputed site. Clearly, the bol of Muslim rule. That both sides to the dispute. stopped rolling. The suit betrays the fact that barracks in an open prison called Kashmir; and where the fear of disen- path has been cleared for moment in history is long I recall Syed Shaha- avatar from Mathura now the verdict was a fore- franchisement by the National Register of Citizens has created a nation- the building of a grand gone. But does destruc- buddin once demanding beckons for recognition. wide atmosphere of paranoia and panic. Indian Muslims feel pummelled temple and a theme park tion of age-old buildings proof that Ram ever exist- Why should the Shiva gone conclusion. A dele- so badly that the fight has gone out of them, and they just want to get on dedicated to further deify- and monuments reverse ed. Shahabuddin a former worshippers settle for gation of BJP leaders with life. The community no doubt expected, in its heart of hearts, that ing Lord Ram. history? Realising this, IFS officer who served as less? Rulers such as approached the DGP of the judgment would be as it has turned out. And in any case, what choice The unanimous judg- L.K. Advani, who led the India’s ambassador to Aurangazeb, the last great does it have? It has no leadership, and it has seen how the political class ment of the Supreme last charge on the Babri Algeria, was Prime Min- Mughal, and even democ- Telangana state request- and the judiciary offer the community no succor. It has no choice but to Court bench has been Masjid, called it an “ocu- ister Vajpayee’s hand- ratically-elected Indira ing extra security in sen- move forward in its individual lives. generally applauded by lar distortion”. Even the picked choice for an edu- Gandhi who tried to It is probably why, despite scattered attempts by local BJP units to defy most otherwise argumen- allegedly more liberal cated Muslim face in poli- impose their beliefs and sitive areas. These dis- the PM's orders and cause minor friction, the Indian Muslim has not tative Indians as an act of Atal Behari Vajpayee tics. But he just became will by being authoritari- concerting actions make reacted. In fact, the Indian Muslim, though perhaps feeling depressed by reconciliation and even called it a “kalank”. That the English-speaking face an were felled by regional one wonder whether the the verdict, and though Milad-un-Nabi today may be subdued, has pub- an instance of Solomonic is now gone. But our his- of Muslim bigotry. It was uprisings and popular licly shown supreme indifference. Instead, Indian Muslims seek refuge wisdom. But several top tory has been writ and against this backdrop that rejection. This then is the independence of the cus- and consolation in their faith. Muslim leaders expressed imprinted on our minds. the BJP upped the ante great lesson of history. todian of our constitution As for the judges who came up with a lucid 1,045-page judgment that unhappiness with the But that is not the history and conceived of the Rath India can only be gov- clinically went through the issue, the timing of the judgment was sur- court’s experiment with we must be worried Yatra. It was the brain- erned and kept together has been seriously com- prising, as was the unanimity of the verdict, barring a single judge’s Solomonism. They say about. A new history is child of Pramod Mahajan, by the persuasive use of promised. addenda. Some had surmised that at least one prominent outlier on the they defer to it, but aren’t being written. Lord Ram Narendra Modi and M. authority and not by the five-member bench would have dissented. In any event, a chapter of happy. Asaduddin Owaisi has now legally metamor- Venkaiah Naidu, all blue- imposition of will. The Mohammad Abdul Hakeem Indian history has closed. One can only thank the court for having the pithily said: “The phosed from an article of eyed boys of Mr Advani elected government can Tolichowki, Hyderabad courage to not kick the can further down the road, so that the “collective Supreme Court is supr- faith to a legal entity. The then. The “rath” itself was govern not just with the conscience of society” can somehow put this entire sordid episode eme, but is not infallible.” judgment allots the site to a garish and stupid-look- support of a majority in behind it. Although King Solomon the infant Ram Lalla ing contraption slung Parliament but by also used the share-the-baby Virajman. It must be clar- over a DCM Toyota truck. catering to the aspirations THE REAL ISSUES test to determine the iden- ified that Ram Lalla I rode with Mr Advani on and demands of the many tity of the biological moth- Virajman is not a living the “rath” from Indore to groups of the colorful Finally, after a long wait, the vexed er, Solomonic judgments person, but a notion. mosaic that India is. We Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid are generally understood Mr Advani is still the also have a tradition issue has been brought to a closure as compromise judgments popular villain of the lib- Solomonic judg- where some nationalities by the court. Whatever be the mer- that reject the winner- eral set because he set off ments are generally enslaved others. Just as its of this verdict, it is a golden take-all approach that on his Rath Yatra wanti- understood as India is a nation of diverse opportunity for Indians of both characterises most mod- ng a Ram Mandir built in people, it is a nation of communities. They must now put compromise this superfluous matter behind ern common law adjudica- Ayodhya. But that dem- judgments that diverse victimisations. tions. But sometimes Solo- and was a much older What the founding fathers them as heritage lost cannot be monic judgments may pri- one. The British first all- reject the winner- sought to enshrine in our restored, and put their energies oritise pleasing and dis- owed Hindus to offer wor- take-all approach... Constitution is to ensure into tackling real issues like pover- pleasing the litigating par- ship at the mosque in that the march of victimi- ty and corruption. A better India Sometimes beckons all of us. ties in varying degrees 1857, soon after the events Solomonic sation is halted once and over deciding disputes in that year to restore for all. Solomonic judg- Bidyut K. Chatterjee strict accordance with the Bahadur Shah Zafar as judgments may ments don’t help in that. relevant law. Clearly, the truly the emperor. One prioritise pleasing Faridabad, Haryana Supreme Court preferred Abhirama Das first plac- and displeasing The writer, a policy ana- Solomonism over law. It ed the idols inside the the litigating lyst studying economic may have sewn up the mosque premises in and security issues, held SCHOOL IN AYODHYA wound, but the scar will December 1949. It is also parties in varying senior positions in gov- remain. It will be in our pertinent to mention that degrees... ernment and industry The ghost of the Ayodhya mosque continues to haunt the entire nation. Whether a temple is built or not, I would like the BJP and the Office politics demned prisoner's legs till Ranga’s Ramjanmabhoomi supporters to he Winter Session of Parliament life was pulled out of him, reveals abide by the idea of India as a plu- Tis about to commence but Lok Gupta. Sunetra, an award-winning ralist and inclusive democracy in Sumitra’s men or Om Birla’s? which all citizens of the country are Sabha Speaker Om Birla has not author-journalist-TV news anchor, been able to make some key appoint- has provided an effective voice to equal before the law. The Ayodhya ments to his staff. Individuals with a Uttarakhandi’s turn well-meaning persons in the state Gupta’s dark world of incarceration. issue can only be resolved if a tem- Sangh background who were part of he Maharashtra impasse has Congress want the Nath-Singh- ple and a mosque are built on the Sumitra Mahajan’s establishment Tbrought into focus the Scindia trio to patch up informally Freedom to Fadnavis rued same land. Or else, the trust should are lobbying hard to get a new lease Uttarakhand politician Bhagat and quickly. use it to erect a school for children. of life in office. Mr Birla reportedly Singh Koshiyari, who is occupying How Ranga died he Maharashtra political stale- Jubel D’Cruz has his own set of favourites from the Raj Bhavan at Malabar Hill in Tmate has brought into focus Rajasthan but the ‘political clear- Mumbai. If the state heads for new book on Tihar Jail has some lesser-known details of the Dombivali, Mumbai ance’ has not arrived. An agonising President’s Rule, Koshiyari will Ashocking details of how the pre- BJP’s functioning. It was assumed wait continues. become the third Uttarakhandi to be mier prison in the national capital that BJP chief Amit Shah, consid- Parliament TV? directly ruling a state. While has been functioning. In Black ered a modern-day Chanakya, has a Trivendra Singh Rawat is chief min- Warrant (Roli Books), narrator Midas touch. However, little birdie WIN FOR ALL INDIANS move is afoot to merge Lok ister of Uttarakhand, his Uttar Sunil Gupta, Tihar jailer, has given from Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg The final verdict given by the five ASabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV. Pradesh counterpart Yogi a graphic account of the January 31, in New Delhi now says he was mis- eminent judges on the long-pending Many contractual staffers face an Adityanath or Ajay Mohan Bisht too 1982, hanging of two dreaded crimi- led by the state unit on selection of Ayodhya issue is a great relief for all uncertain future beyond January hails from Pauri Garhwal. nals — Ranga-Billa who had kid- some candidates, as well as the poli- Indians. It is “Bharat ki jeet” and a 2020. Apparently, the government No peacemakers please napped, raped and murdered 16- tics behind the Shiv Sena fielding historical one to be remembered by finds separate Rajya Sabha and By WAQYANAWIS year-old Geeta Chopra and her Aaditya Thackeray. So, when it the future generations of the world. Lok Sabha TV entities extravagant he titanic battle of supremacy younger brother Sanjay in New came to government formation the and useless when Doordarshan is Tbetween Madhya Pradesh chief peacemakers. Now, the warring fac- Delhi. Incredible as it may sound, central BJP leadership gave a “free Padmavathi Vikram Raj K.N. doing a much better job. There is minister Kamal Nath, Digvijaya tions of the Madhya Pradesh Gupta told co-author Sunetra hand” to chief minister Devendra Kacheguda, Hyderabad also a view that Lok Sabha TV has Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia has Congress Committee (MPCC) are Choudhury how Ranga had actually Fadnavis (who resigned on Friday) been occupying too much of space gotten a twist. Congress president dreading the Patil-Kumar duo, survived hanging at Tihar. A consta- instead of taking direct charge. Till Every Monday the best letter of inside the Parliament House Sonia Gandhi has deputed Shivraj known to hold court and speak at ble was asked to jump into the well the time of writing, it had not premises. Patil and Meira Kumar to act as length, resulting in nothing. Some of “Phansi Kothi” to pull the con- worked. the week wins `500. Email: [email protected]

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minutes after highlights of I have to accept the munity accept the verdict in hypocrisy of the Congress, then Asaduddin the larger interest of the com- those idols would not be placed the judgment were Supreme Court munity and creating harmony? inside a mosque in 1949. Had Owaisi reported widely on the judgment. But I have the idols not been placed, the media, a cover of a book, a right to also The question of accepting the masjid would have still existed. titled, “Supreme, Not respond to it, critique verdict for the sake of amity It was Congress PM Rajiv it, give my opinions does not arise, because I would Gandhi who unlocked the Infallible” — echoing what like to ask you first — was this Babri Masjid. It was Congress was left unsaid by many about it. Don’t I have a judgment delivered for the PM P.V. Narasimha Rao who Q&A in the community he right to comment on sake of brotherhood? The judg- failed to save the masjid from represents and leads. the judgment and ment must deliver and uphold demolition. Muslims were On a day so historic that express my justice, based on evidence, on deceived by all these so-called This judgment, besides the title dispute. Who told you secular political parties. Now, it is guaranteed to its impact on the case that dissatisfaction with it? we are against harmony? Muslims have to emerge as significantly remain in the was a source of strife, Though the judgment of the politically strong, without nation’s collective mistrust and conflict cerned, the Muslim Personal Supreme Court is final, accord- depending on these parties. memory, impacting not between people, Law Board and its counsels ing to the Sharia, there was a had presented their stand with mosque there, and it will Why are you asking for rejec- only the people of today communities, and a legal sincerity. Our counsels pre- always remain a mosque. tion of five-acre land for build- but all Indians to come challenge before India, sented their contentions in full ing a new mosque? ahead, perhaps changing the AIMIM chief argued, length, backed with strong What do you have to say about the psyche of its two will become a precedent research and facts. The AIM- the Sangh Parivar today? I do not know whether the PLB may choose to file a Muslim Personal Law Board significant communities — for other disputes of review petition, but I can’t say I want to inform all people of would proceed to file a review Hindus and Muslims — mandir and masjid. whether the court would the Sangh Parivar that we, petition or not. I don’t know forever, and establishing On such a day, Mr reconsider the judgments and Muslims of India, are whether it would accept the new contours and balance Owaisi spoke with ATHER its findings in response to a respectable citizens of India and five acres for the mosque or between the two, one MOIN of this newspaper review petition. we will always remain. We will not. But in my personal opin- AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi tell our generations to come ion, we should reject the stand voice that stood out as and gave out his views In the past you had categorical- that there was a masjid for 500 of giving us five acres of land distinct, separate, sui strongly on a slew of A masjid caught up in legal will all realise only in future, ly stated you would accept any years, which the Sangh demol- for a new mosque. generis, and perhaps the contentious issues: contention exists in Varanasi, when other courts start react- judgment of the Supreme ished in front of the eyes of the Muslims of India have full only one that sounded in the Lok Sabha constituency of ing to those cases, in the light Court. What has changed now? world, with conspiratorial col- faith in the Constitution. We Prime Minister Narendra of this judgment, of its fullest lusion of the Congress Party on were contesting the case for discord, even a trace of The case brings to a closure a Modi. The Sangh people will consequence. I have to accept the SC judg- December 6, 1992. We were our legal rights, not some land dissent was the stand contentious issue of the past now argue that we accept the ment. But I have a right to also ditched by the Supreme Court given to us as alms. Though backed by a lifetime’s several decades, in fact, since 1991 Act, but we have a right on Will either the AIMPLB or you respond to it, critique it, give judgment. Describing the demo- Muslims are very poor and conviction, the chief of All the nation became indepen- the undercroft of the masjid. as a leader of a political party my opinions about it. Don’t I lition of Babri Masjid as vandal- weak, even though we have dent. What is your response to or as an individual seek a fur- have a right to comment on the ism is an understatement. Why been discriminated against, no India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul- it? Do you have any apprehen- In Lucknow, there is dispute ther review of this judgment? judgment and express my dis- should we forget the killing of one can deny this simple truth Muslimeen (AIMIM), sions? on Teele Wali Masjid. Some satisfaction with it? Mahatma Gandhi and the demo- — Muslims are not so miser- ASADUDDIN OWAISI. day, they (Sangh) might tell As the national president of Is it or is it not permissible lition of the Babri Masjid? able that they could not buy a Mr Owaisi, himself a There are many cases in front you that they do not a have dis- the AIMIM, I will respect any any more, in keeping with the piece of five acres of land for a of our courts, including the site pute on the masjid itself, but and all decisions that the All- rights bestowed by the How do you feel about the masjid. If I ask the people of lawyer trained in Britain, disputes in Kasi and Mathura, we have claims on cortile area. India Muslim Personal Law Constitution, to express my Congress Party? Hyderabad, they will donate so intrepidly called out the which are pending. Though the I have apprehension that the Board (AIMPLB) might take in views? Is it a contempt of much that we can build a judgment, saying it seems Supreme Court had mentioned Sangh Parivar will drag many response to the Supreme Court court? I have a right to freedom It is very unfortunate, and mosque in Uttar Pradesh. We to be a “victory of faith the Places of Worship Act 1991, mosques to court now, claim- verdict on the Babri Masjid- of expression in India. late, but finally the true colours need no alms from anyone. We over facts”, and tweeting other parties will refer to this ing that temples existed in Ram Janmabhoomi dispute. As of the Congress have been do not need patronage from judgment as a precedent. those places centuries ago. We far as the future course is con- Should not the Muslim com- exposed. If not for the any corner. Ayodhya, 1992, left Muslims shaken; Ayodhya verdict sets precedent: Doctrine in 2019, the hate has become normal of necessity invoked? The dawn of the Modi Chandrababu Naidu first nity was prepared for riots is a quote from Oliver era saw Muslims being spoke of “equidistance” from and violence, no Muslim was Cromwell, winner of the English Mir Quadir Ali both the BJP and the prepared for being branded Civil War. targeted like never Congress and later offered “anti-national” and having to Aakar The court added that it “found before. While mentally “outside” support to the Atal prove his or her love for the that the governor-general’s the community was Behari Vajpayee govern- country at every step. Patel actions prevented the break- ment, he immediately Attempts to defend ourselves down of the political and consti- hough more than was imposed earlier, we prepared for violence, became the most despised by pointing out that we opted tutional institutions of half of my life has vaulted over the wall and no Muslim was person, replacing even Mr to stay on in India and not Pakistan”. And so the court gone by since the onto our neighbour’s terrace prepared for being Advani on the list. This was leave for Pakistan were overlooked wrongdoing and jus- fateful events of where the men used to play branded ‘anti-national’ because Mr Advani, despite brushed aside casually and tified it. To my mind it appears TDecember 6, 1992, dominoes or carrom. and having to prove his infamy, was someone far more often than not he Ayodhya judgment that the Ayodhya judgment also memories of the day are as In the days that followed, away on the horizon while ridiculed. Anyone standing has reminded one of comes out of similar thinking vivid as it was yesterday. I the discussion invariably his/her love for India. Mr Naidu was a familiar fig- up for the rights of the com- our judicial history. and a reliance on necessity. I am had climbed up the biggest of was “what next”. In my local- ure and was someone who munity was painted with the On the Indian subcon- absolutely unclear about why the guava trees in our court- ity, the Muslim Personal Law had gone to great lengths to same brush of “anti-national” Ttinent, the judiciary the court felt it essential to hand yard, and had already con- Board, and especially the sit- machinery being our shield, portray himself as secular. or accused of appeasement. has invoked something called over the entire land to the tem- sumed one of the fruits and ting MP from Hyderabad, were all razed that day. We Mr Naidu was to be replaced While these changes took the Doctrine of Necessity. ple after saying that it could not eyeing another ripe one just Sultan Salauddin Owaisi, began to feel alienated, and on top of the list of most hated place, one question that no In Pakistan, this happened 65 conclude that the Babri Masjid out of reach when I heard the was declared guilty of failing for the first time, victimised politicians very soon by Mr one has attempted to answer years ago. Just a short while was built on a demolished struc- news wafting over the air, to protect the masjid. The in our own land. The BJP’s Modi in 2002, in the aftermath remains: To what ends? after Independence, the ture. from a radio blaring in a “guilty” label was ultimately political ascendancy in the of the Gujarat genocide. Hindutvawadis obviously are Pakistan Army took over charge The Supreme Court accepts neighbourhood home. erased when he swore on the days that followed strength- Interestingly, the rabble- intelligent enough to realise of the country in a sequence of that the breaking down of the My ears could hear the Holy Quran after Friday ened this feeling. rousers were never reviled; that they cannot rid the coun- events that made Gen. Ayub mosque after the mobilisation newsreader saying some- prayers in the Macca Masjid For the first few days, they were always seen as try of at least 30 crore Khan the leader of the country. by the BJP was a violation of the thing about “extensive dam- that he was innocent and a speeches by Muslim politi- what they were — a nuisance. Muslims. This community The sequence was triggered by rule of law and a crime. It also age” to one of the domes of victim of circumstances. cians were devoted to claims News of the deaths of the kar can be subjugated only so the governor-general, a man accepts that the act of putting the Babri Masjid. It was too P.V. Narasimha Rao was that they would give their life sevaks in the Sabarmati much and not more, since the named Ghulam Muhammad. He idols in the mosque was that of stunning, too unbelievable. cursed, and was branded a and ensure that the masjid Express fire on February 27, Constitution empowers it, was a partner of the Mahindra desecration. But it nonetheless Safely ensconced in a neigh- stooge of the RSS. Some even would be rebuilt at the very 2002 was immediately met like it empowers all citizens. group of India in a company that gives the land over to those who bourhood that was predomi- said that under his dhoti, he spot. Initially, these claims with suspicion that it was the Some Muslims with more was originally called Mahindra desecrated, saying that: nantly Muslim, I was too used to wear the famous RSS evoked optimism, but gradu- handiwork of politicians. foresight than others see the and Muhammad (later renamed “Whether a belief is justified is young to realise the signifi- knickers. Though many ally, they were taken less and While Gujarat was in flames, situation as an opportunity Mahindra and Mahindra). He beyond judicial inquiry. Once cance of what had transpired. Muslims may not openly say less seriously. Like every Muslims everywhere burned. that will make the communi- was a clever man, a chartered faith is established, courts Still, a sudden, indescribable it, Narasimha Rao remains other community before us, Some months after the ty stronger, better and more accountant by training, who should defer to it.” darkness enveloped me. The the most reviled of all the sadness faded and was Gujarat riots, the Muslim productive. was named to run the finance It has become clear that legally only other time I experienced Congress leaders, years after replaced by hope. Hope in the Personal Law Board organ- American author Lafayette ministry. After the death of India has done what the Vishwa a similar darkness was when his death. judiciary, in the law and hope ised a mammoth public meet- Ronald, in the early 1950s, Jinnah in 1948, and the assassi- Hindu Parishad and the BJP my father passed away. Ironically, the Hindu com- that one day, we will get back ing in Hyderabad, where said: “Man thrives, oddly nation of Jinnah’s deputy were demanding all this time. Hyderabad, especially the munity at large was never what is ours. The hope failed speaker after speaker vowed enough only in the presence Liaqat Ali Khan in 1951, the When I was a student 30 years Old City, had in its history blamed; it was only the lead- to dull our hatred for Advani justice to the victims. The of a challenging environ- Pakistan Muslim League was ago, Arun Shourie came to our seen and withstood commu- ers of the BJP and P.V. and Co. Anyone even talking speakers also made it clear ment”. For Muslims in India, leaderless and in this space university in Vadodara to speak nal riots, it had withstood an Narasimha Rao who were positively about the BJP was that they were anointing this is the perhaps the biggest Muhammad became governor- on the issue. This was three invasion, and before that a cursed. As days went by, the mentally branded an enemy, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin challenge the community has general. years before the mosque was flood that took the life of community began feeling the without a second thought. It Owaisi as the undisputed faced. It has been punched, In 1954, he unlawfully dis- demolished. Mr Shourie (who thousands. But never a impact of the aftermath. The was this hatred that led to political leader representing kicked and is down on the missed the Pakistan Constituent was then a supporter of the BJP) threshold such as this had Mumbai riots that followed, many Muslims rejoicing in the community in the coun- ground. There is no place to Assembly which was taking said that Muslims should take been crossed, never had our and the increasingly vitriolic Narendra Modi upstaging try. The Gujarat riots also go but rise and stand firm. much longer than India to frame the mosque and go somewhere faith been crushed, nor had comments by Shiv Sena L.K. Advani and becoming saw the community gather its Oddly enough, it was busi- its Constitution. Those who else, because for Hindus the land the faith of others trampled, leader Bal Thackeray, left us the BJP’s prime ministerial wits, realise that it was time ness as usual on Saturday, were dismissed went to court was sacred. What we are going to subverted and vanquished shaken. Thackeray’s vitriol candidate, though the former that individuals became one November 9, when the where it was determined that do now is the same thing except the law. ensured that there would be was far more reviled. The and stand up to face an Supreme Court gave its ver- Ghulam Muhammad’s actions that it has legal cover. Curiously, nobody ran out no negotiated settlement vis- hope also failed to stop ghet- enemy that brooked no dis- dict on the Babri Masjid title were unlawful. However, he and We should know that the on the streets, there was no a-vis the Babri Masjid, since toism in the Old City. The sent, offered no quarter and dispute. Going by the open the new ministers who had Pakistani court’s actions had slogan shouting, there was no every Muslim believed that a handful of Hindu families in had absolutely no sense of shops and traffic on the roads taken power with him went into long-term repercussions. The outward reaction as such. firm stand alone could stop our neighbourhood moved humanity. of the Old City, it is clear appeal. form of law that we have in Perhaps everyone in my Hindutva’s onward march. away to new localities. We The dawn of the Narendra Muslims had at the back of Here the Supreme Court India and Pakistan relies on locality was too stunned to I remember reading a tried to persuade them to Modi era saw Muslims being their minds accepted the ver- backed Muhammad, justifying precedent. A few years later, by react. Or perhaps they did report by a Muslim colum- stay, saying that the worst targeted like never before. dict and have moved on. The his illegal action. The judgment when Ghulam Muhammad had not know how to react, since nist how he was shunned at a was past, and they would While mentally the commu- city was bustling as usual. reads: “Thus the issue raised died, the court used the same this was something unimag- public meeting. I also remem- remain unharmed, but to no refers to the extraordinary pow- reasoning to validate the mili- inable, unprecedented and ber a columnist, I believe it avail. Similar instances of ers of the governor-general dur- tary takeover of the government like a bolt from the blue. By was Shobhaa De, writing in Muslim families migrating ing the emergency period and by Gen. Ayub Khan. And then dusk, the roads were empty the Deccan Chronicle how in from Hindu neighbourhoods not to powers which vest in the again when Gen. Zia-ul Haq and the only movement was casual conversations at par- were heard of, and the com- governor-general during normal hanged Prime Minister Zulfikar of stray dogs. Every home ties, Muslims were being munity at large clucked its times when the vital organ of the Ali Bhutto and became that had a TV was crowded insinuated as “they” or collective tongue, expressed Constitution, namely the legisla- President — the courts were fine with neighbours; ears were “them”, as if we were second- sadness and accepted it as a ture, is functioning, and the with it because there had glued to the radio, hoping to class citizens. Till December fact of life. question that we have to consid- already been a precedent. Closer catch any and all news. 6, 1992, despite numerous The demolition of the Babri er is whether there is any provi- to our time, Gen. Musharraf was At 9 pm that day, riots, Muslims in Hyderabad, Masjid brought some posi- sion in the Constitution govern- validated in the same fashion. Doordarshan repeated what especially in the Old City, tives too. More and more ing such a situation or any other All the dictators have operated had already been claimed had never felt unsafe. Muslim youth in the Old City legal principle within, outside or under legal cover, and their over the radio — “extensive Perhaps it was because the began to realise the futility of above the Constitution Acts actions have been seen as legiti- damage to one of the domes of Old City had always been pre- petty business and began to which entitles the governor-gen- mate. the Babri Masjid”. A dour- dominantly Muslim, or per- study harder. The elders of eral to act in case of necessity of What the long-term repercus- looking P.V. Narasimha Rao haps because the riots were the community turned their such a nature”. sions of the Ayodhya judgment came on TV, and we heard limited to pockets and it was focus to education, exhorting Basically, since there was an are will unfold in time. But him promise that the masjid business as usual after the the youth to study well. Study emergency (and it didn’t matter there will be repercussions of would be rebuilt at that very flare-ups subsided. centres were set up, and some that the emergency was a cre- course. And I hope that the con- spot. I remember the words The demolition of the Babri well-off Muslims began to ation of the governor-general), sequences are not going to be as “President’s Rule” being Masjid left us, like all streamline the system using he had to be allowed to do what- damaging to us as they were to imposed in Uttar Pradesh Muslims across India, shak- Zakat collections. The over- ever he wanted. The court Pakistan. after Kalyan Singh resigned en to the core. Our trust in whelming sense of loss also added: “If nothing should be and his government was dis- the Constitution, our belief in created a bond of brother- done but what is according to Aakar Patel is a writer, missed. I remember curfew the system, our conviction in hood, of unity and of toler- law, the throat of the nation columnist and executive being imposed the next day. our loyalty to this country, ance. might be cut while we send for director of Amnesty Like all other times curfew our reliance on the official In the late 1990s, when N. someone to make the law”. This International (India) THE ASIAN AGE 8 JUDGMENT DAY SUNDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2019 | NEW DELHI Finally, deja vu moment Across many Muslim dominated localities in the twin towns of Ayodhya-Faisabad, many stayed at home, but some groups of people were seen engaged in discussions. That they were dejected could not be missed.

VIKRAM SHARMA ment on the saffron party’s elec- AYODHYA, NOV. 9 tion manifesto which promises to construct a ram mandir at Gently running his fingers ayodhya. through his long white silky Maulana Abdul Rashadi beard, Maulvi saab, as he is Madni, who runs a Madrasa in The wait is getting over fondly known, sat in one corner Azamgarh, says that the of the deserted street gazing at Muslim community was deeply Karsevaks resting on partially carved stone slabs to be used as pillars of the proposed Ram temple near Babri Masjid. — Sondeep Shankar the buntings erected for Milad hurt when the Babri masjid was Un Nabi in the Muslim- domi- razed and says he is equally nated Bhadarsa locality. hurt now. “All Muslims would Ask him about the Ayodhya have become BJP supporters verdict that has come on had the verdict come in their Saturday, and the 74-year old favour. Now, it is difficult to smiles as he says that the judg- trust the Supreme Court,” he Why not a ment was on expected lines. says. We respect the judiciary and “Let’s not act as if we’ll not It was back in 2012 that some know what the verdict would be BJP and VHP leaders had like. We all had anticipated that. coined the slogan “UP mein museum at First it was triple talaq, then banega Gujarat, Faizabad se scrapping of Article 370 from hogi shuruvaat” — and many its verdict: Muslim League Kashmir and now this (Ayodhya say that this is coming true now. verdict). Not many will like to Among many muslims Deccan Ayodhya? say it openly but the designs of Chronicle randomly spoke to, some powerful people is getting almost all of them said they had IUML leaders reminded workers of the clear to us now,” he says. anticipated the judgment and it Reminded that it did not surprise role the party had played in the past As a social science student, was the court’s ver- them one bit. dict and the govern- “You heard TV teacher I would say what ment had nothing ‘WE ARE NOT channels say even to ensure peace during tough times, to do with today’s AGAINST ANY COM- Muslims want a was really needed there judgment, Maulvi MUNITY. BUT SINCE temple to be con- including when Babri Masjid was demolished saab laughs it off, MORNING HAVE YOU structed at the site making clear his and they want an AGE CORRESPONDENT ensure peace in society during The calm and composure of the was a modern research disagreement. NOT SEEN HINDU end to the dispute. KOZHIKODE, NOV. 9 such times of communal tension. leaders notwithstanding, a major Minutes after the COMMUNITY CREDIT- Just because some Even at the times when the Babri section of the party leaders and institute or a museum Supreme Court ING MODI GOVERN- Muslims who call The Indian Union Muslim League Masjid was demolished, the state workers are unhappy with the ver- read out the his- MENT FOR THE VER- themselves our (IUML), the prominent political remained without any communal dict but they refused to express toric judgment in leaders are in the party representing Muslims based violence due to the active role of them publicly as there was a strict RAJAN GURUKKAL favour of Ram DICT? EVEN TV payrolls of the in Kerala, said that it will respect IUML, the leaders pointed out. order from leadership not to pre- mandir, Muslims CHANNELS WILL DO BJP, it does not the verdict in the IUML national secretary P.K. cipitate matter, whatever the ver- s a student of history, the verdict of across the twin IT SOON,’ SAID ARIF mean that all of us Ramjanambhumi-Babri Masjid Kunhalikutty, MP, said IUML has dict is. Any untoward incident in the Supreme Court on Ayodhya did towns, though MUHAMMED. are of the same dispute though the party was not its origin in the freedom struggle the state would send wrong mes- Anot make me happy or gave me remained calm, felt opinion. Faith is fully satisfied with it. and hence the nation is very much sage across the nation, inviting peace. However, this is a verdict given by that the BJP had as important a The party, which has been credit- important. "We respect the judici- shame for the community as well the top court of the country and as a citi- lost its last chance matter for us as it ed with ensuring peace during the ary and will come out with a con- as state, igniting the evil spirits zen, I am bound to accept by it. However, as a social sci- of winning the confidence of is for Hindus,” says Abdul turbulent days in the aftermath of sidered stand after due delibera- within, it was pointed out. ence student, teacher and a person who wanted to the the community. Mateen, a small time trader in the demolition of the Babri Masjid tions," he added. On a query on the IUML national organising secre- quality of the higher education sector in our country go What was even more disturb- Sahabgunj. in 1992, was however non-commit- move of Muslim Personal Law tary E.T. Muhammed Basheer, MP, up, I feel that this verdict is pushing us backward. ing for them was that the verdict Across Muslim dominated tal on the future course of action it Board to approach apex court for a told DC that it is a fact that the The court decided on this verdict-of allotting the dis- came on a day when the Muslim areas, a pall of gloom has will take. Most leaders evaded review of the verdict, Mr community is not entirely happy puted site for the construction of a Ram temple-keeping community was looking for- descended soon after the ver- questions on the merit of the ver- Kunhalikutty said it is too early to with the verdict. "But as the citi- in mind one section of people and their beliefs. A small ward to celebrate Milad un Nabi dict. Green flags, banners and dict, saying that it is too early to comment on decision of board. zens of the nation, we respect the town such as Ayodhya can do without a grand temple; — the birthday of prophet buntings were everywhere but give a statement as they are yet to "The IUML had passed a resolu- judiciary and also its verdict on but what was really needed was a modern research Mohammed. Due to security there were no celebrations. access the verdict document. The tion in as early in 1989 to accept the prolonged dispute," Mr institute or a museum instead. This is a period when we concerns, the Faizabad district “Leave alone the verdict, we party has convened a special meet- the verdict of the apex court in the Basheer said. "We still lay our have been affected by environmental issues and climate administration has banned all are now not allowed to celebrate ing of its high-power committee at dispute," he pointed out. hopes on the judiciary and will change. An institution devoted to studying them would kinds of processions and gath- the most important event in Panakkad, Malappuram on "Whatever its legal impact, the design our future strategy over the have been in order. erings including the Milad un Muslim calendar. We definitely Monday to discuss the verdict in party would abide by our earlier issue after the meeting of leaders The Ayodhya issue started as a title dispute over 2.77 Nabi “juloos” or procession. did not see this coming,” said detail. decision." to be held soon," he added. acres. It was only later that political, historical and “We are not against any com- Abdul Subhan of Rikabgunj. In an interaction with reporters socio-religious debates become the focal point of the dis- munity. But since morning, Across many Muslim domi- at Malappuram, IUML supremo pute; political and religious angles were added to give have you not seen Hindu com- nated localities in the twin Panakkad Syed Hyderali Shihab The Indian union Muslim League had weight to the argument. munity crediting Modi govern- towns, most confined them- Thangal said that the party passed a resolution in as early in 1989 Such issues cannot be settled by considering historic ment for the verdict ? Even TV selves to their homes while respects the verdict. "We shall be evidence alone. It is not prudent to decide on ownership channels will do it soon. If we groups of people were seen able to comment more only after a to accept the verdict of the apex of a plot of land with information on one period of the blame Modi government for it engaged in discussions. That proper evaluation," the Thangal court in the Ramjanambhumi-Babri Masjid history. (verdict not coming in our they were dejected was some- said. He urged party workers as dispute. Whatever its legal impact, the party There are Buddhist and Jain links to Ayodhya. favour) we are wrong, right ?” thing no one could have missed. well as public to approach the ver- will abide by our earlier decision. According to the Jain tradition, five tirthankaras were asks Arif Muhammed, a col- By evening, several locals cele- dict with composure. born at Ayodhya, including Rishabhanatha, Ajitanatha, lege-goer and resident of brated by lighting diyas. Some IUML leaders also reminded the Abhinandananatha, Sumatinatha and Anantanatha. It Benigunj. burst crackers. It was like workers on the role of the party — P.K. KUNHALIKUTTY, MP has been associated with Kosala kingdom, later to All of them base their argu- Diwali. played in the past in the nation to IUML national general secretary Maurya rule. It was also an important trade centre asso- ciated with various Sarthavaha communities. It has also been under sultanate and the Mogul rule later. The issues that happened after 1992 were vital as they have several socio-political dimensions. But now that we have an order of the apex court on our hand, it is imperative that all sections of the people react to it in a Let’s count the holes in the verdict later mature way. Most of the people in the country believe in friendship and mutual respect. This was true even when some reacted in an impulsive way. M.A. BABY stated this in our statement. who is systematically exposing cides, economic recession, It is a sensitive matter. At this THE JUDGMENT SPEAKS and opposing communal forces. retrenchments, layoffs, unemploy- (The writer is vice-chairman, Kerala State Higher he CPM would point of time we don't want to state ABOUT THE CRIMINAL VIOLA- But unfortunately the Congress ment, atrocities against women Education Council) (As told to Sabloo Thomas) undertake an anything which could create TION OF BABRI MASJID, does not have the courage to politi- and livelihood issues are problems Telaborate provocation. The issue which has cally, ideologically and organisa- which need to be taken up. breakdown of the been used for fanning up commu- THOUGH NOT IN THE SAME tionally face communalism. Only by doing so can you develop Supreme Court ver- nal passions by various forces for TERM. IT SAID THE DEMOLI- There are wide areas where the and evolve a mighty mass move- dict in due course. We have vari- long periods had to be settled at TION OF THE MASJID WAS A Left is almost non-existent and the ment for secularism, societal prob- Time everyone ous ideas about the verdict and some point in a non-controversial VIOLATION OF LAW. SO THE Congress is the only opposition. lems and livelihood issues of vari- they have been presented in a cap- manner. Such a dispute cannot be But the Congress is not discharg- ous sections and that has to be the sule form in the communique settled fully to the satisfaction of LAW SHOULD TAKE ACTION ing the role of the opposition. This important pillar on which the fight worked for peace issued by politburo on Saturday. everyone. But still, it should be set- AGAINST THE CULPRITS. THAT is also helping the BJP and RSS to against communalism can be For example, there is a reference tled in a manner where nobody HAS NOT BEEN DONE. be more bold and aggressive. The developed. K.T. JALEEL that certain premises in the ver- would feel defeated or triumphant. Left will never be found wanting in Long march of farmers from dict are questionable. This means We have our reservations in say- fighting the communal forces Nashik to Mumbai and farmers aith and places of worship are we have our reservations or ques- ing that this is a judicious deci- The judiciary is found wanting politically, ideologically and struggle in Rajasthan and Madhya not meant to destroy the peace tions about some of the aspects of sion. But still there has to be an even in the case of all those who organisationally. We are doing it in Pradesh have been organised Fof mankind; instead, they are the judgment. end to this litigation. have criminally destroyed a place Kerala. under the red flag. More such meant to forge strong friendship The judgment speaks about the The Sangh Parivar may go for- of historical importance. They The Left will continue to play its movements have to be built. between them. criminal violation of Babri ward in a triumphant mood but it have not pronounced the verdict role within its limitations and Today we may have different crit- I wish the judgment of the Supreme Court on the Masjid, though not in the same is for the democratic and secular and settled the issue yet. So there influence in taking up secular ical observations about the ver- Babri Masjid case will settle all the disputes forev- term. It said the demolition of the forces to see they are prevented are many grey areas where sys- positions and fighting communal dict. But we have to keep our cool er. Let's all accept the final verdict in the case. Let's Masjid was a violation of law. So from doing that. It is a big task temic failure was evident in pro- forces. Whether the Left will devel- and patience. We have to respond also hope that the dispute over Babri Masjid is the the law should take proper action before them. We have to painstak- tecting democracy and secularism. op as a leading force is something to the situation in a responsible first and the last one over the ownership of various against the culprits. That legal ingly spread the message among The Indian political, social and society also has to respond to. We and restrained manner and that is places of worship in our country. action is not completed and the the masses. It is not an easy task, cultural communities will have to cannot assume the leadership posi- very important. Preserve the unity I wish the Hindu and Muslim communities culprits have not been meted out but we will have to take it up. stand up and discharge their tion on our own. so that the struggle for social would work for lasting peace by strengthening the punishment. The RSS is notorious for double responsibility to protect the secu- We have taken up positions about change and unity can be strength- their faith in the country's judicial system. My The verdict has referred to the speak. They don't stick to what lar and democratic values as following a mass line and connect- ened in the coming days. prayers are for that. Places of Religious Worship Act, they say. That they refuse to give a enshrined in the constitution. ing with marginalised sections 1991. There cannot be a reopening categorical reply on the issue of The only office that the commu- such as tribals, dalits, minorities M.A. Baby is member of the Dr K.T. Jaleel is minister for higher education, of any other place of worship on Kashi and Mathura shows they are nal forces attacked in Delhi was and women. Problems such as CPM politburo minority welfare and waqf, Kerala similar lines in future. We have going to take up other matters. the CPM headquarters. They know agriculture distress, farmer sui- (As told to Gilvester Assary) THE ASIAN AGE 9 JUDGMENT DAY SUNDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2019 | NEW DELHI

Mohan Bhagwat, RSS chief We welcome this decision of Supreme Court. This case was going on for decades and it has reached the right conclusion. This should not be seen as a win or loss. We also welcome everyone’s efforts to maintain peace and harmony in society. #AYODHYAVERDICT Narendra Modi, Prime Minister All India Muslim Personal Law Board It is a day of unity (jode ka din, referring to the @AIMPLB_Official opening of Kartarpur corridor, a historic event which opened access to Gurudwara Darbar Sahib The judgment is against our expectations. Our in Pakistan for Indian Sikh devotees). The way legal committee will review the judgment. We each section of the society welcomed the verdict have sincerely tried to fulfill our responsibility to reflects India’s ancient traditions of amity restore the demolished #BabriMasjid Sri Sri Ravi Shankar @SriSri M. Venkaiah Naidu @VPSecretariat I wholeheartedly welcome the his- Further to today’s unanimous ver- toric judgment of the Hon. Supreme dict by 5-Judge bench of Supreme Court. This has brought joy and Court on Ayodhya issue, let’s leave relief to people of both communi- the past behind and move towards ties from a long-standing dispute. building an India of peace, harmony Rajinikanth @rajinikanth Rajnath Singh @rajnathsingh Members of all faiths should strive The Judgement will strengthen for the welfare of the country and India’s social fabric. I urge every- its growth without any religious one to take the verdict with equa- differences nimity and magnanimity. I appeal to the people to maintain peace Anand Mahindra @anandmahindra Rahul Gandhi @RahulGandhi 5 men. A decision that 1.3bn people Supreme Court has given its were awaiting. What extraordinary verdict. With the highest regard for courage it required to be on this the Court and the judgment, every bench one of us must maintain communal amity and peace Minhaz Merchant @MinhazMerchant H.D. Deve Gowda @H_D_Devegowda Babri Action Panel’s Zafaryab Jilani says Muslims dissatisfied with #AYODHYAVERDICT, likely to It is a balancing decision, which file review petition. With 5-judge SC judgement I welcome... What happened in being unanimous that could prove infructuous the past, so that is a big issue. So I do not want to go to the past Barkha Dutt @BDUTT This is significant. Supreme Court Sharad Pawar @PawarSpeaks declaring itself unable to be arbiter of established Faith The decision will help address a serious concern before the country. In memoriam #AYODHYAVERDICT The judiciary has talked about pro- tecting interests of all the sections Senior BJP leader Uma Bharti applies tilak on a photo of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader late Ashok Singhal at the VHP of the society. It is a good thing office in New Delhi on Saturday. — PTI Kanchan Gupta @KanchanGupta Among editors who refused to toe the line of least Mayawati @Mayawati resistance and stood by their journalists: Sunanda K Datta-Ray, Vinod Mehta, Girilal Jain, Arun While respecting the decision by Shourie and @MadhuTrehan On this day, grati- the SC as per the Constitution of tude to them. #AyodhyaJudgment Param Pujya Baba Saheb, all future action should only be taken in an Jayanta Ghosal @jayanta_ghosal1 amicable atmosphere Keep calm Previous Prime Ministers were happy to keep #RamMandir in cold storage. @narendramodi had Asaduddin Owaisi @asadowaisi the courage and acumen to take the issue head I endorse the AIMPLB’s stand. Our on and steer it to conclusion despite attempts of fight was for justice and legal the opposition to scuttle the legal process rights. We don’t need 5-acre land as a charity. There cannot be any com- Srinivas B.V. @srinivasiyc promise over a mosque and tweet As our founding fathers accepted the Constitution as the guiding light of India, we honour the Uddhav Thackeray @uddhavthacker- judgement of Supreme Court on the ay The offline calm maintained by restrained citizens was #AyodhyaVerdict This is red-letter day in the coun- try’s history. I remember Bal palpable on Twitter too. The tone in which most Indians Thackeray, Ashok Singhal on this Priyanka Chaturvedi @priyankac19 day Gratitude. Hon Supreme Court - spoke was refreshingly delightful. Hon CJI Ranjan Gogoi. - Justice S A M.K. Stalin @mkstalin Bobde. - Justice D Y Chandrachud. - Justice S Abdul Nazeer. - Justice All sections should accept (the ver- SRIRAM KARRI A juvenile tweet smacking banter characteristic of ne yeh nahi kaha hai ki HYDERABAD, NOV. 9 of bravado, communally social media exchanges. Babri Masjid mein namaaz Ashok Bhushan dict) and I firmly believe it will be instigating in intent, and The sadness and sense of padhoge toh he tumhari taken forward in a way upholding n many a day superficially celebratory in dejection reflected in anoth- namaz qabool hogi. communal harmony, and without in the past tone was put down quickly, er popular #BabriMasjid Political agenda mat banao. harming the country’s plurality marked as red- with replies like ‘the only completed the circle of ris- #PeaceAndLove Baato,” We welcome the verdict and we respect it. With letter in winner is Indian democra- ing the occasion. Many another user, Zishan Alam this judgment, the dispute between Hindus and Manohar Lal Khattar @mlkhattar Independent cy, and all Indians,’ being complaints of being disap- @zishanalam2212, said, Muslims has come to an end. I appeal to all not to India’s histo- liked and re-tweeted most. pointed, of having a feeling “We absolutely accept this indulge in anything which will ignite passions The verdict given by the Supreme ry,O Indians have shamed it; On #AyodhyaJudgment, a of being let down, or of judgement because we have Court on Ayodhya issue is historic. with their words, and similar trending thread, even having felt anger were trust in Indian Constitution This verdict will help further actions, individually and also in the top three, the measured. Far from any and Supreme Court.” — IQBAL ANSARI, one of the litigants strengthen the country’s social collectively. On November mood was cautious, guard- potential disrespect for Respect, considerate and fabric 9, on a medium that often is ed, and respectful. People judiciary, there was a moderate views dominated Truth never gets defeated and the Supreme an exemplar of level of congratulated the judiciary, regard for the process, if the Twitter discourse, but Court’s verdict proved that. The construction of hatred citizens spew on alone. ‘Oh, my god. Such a not outcome. Many not completely missing the Ram Mandir will begin soon. It is like Deepavali and it Subramanian Swamy @Swamy39 each other over political detailed, long judgment – expressed their sense of usual calumniating and is victory of the entire country Only when Lord Rama wanted the differences, Indians, large- what effort it takes. Respect hope in India, its democra- contumelious digs, and tra- — NRITYA GOPAL DAS, president, Ram Janmabhoomi ducing retorts. It was a green light for re-building the tem- ly, made India feel proud. five judges, heroes.’ cy, and its secular charac- The offline calm main- The two haghtags I sus- teristic. mature discourse to a large We welcome the Supreme Court verdict. We are ple is being given. Namo Govt must tained by restrained citi- pected could be senseless, The most significant extent, and the exception immediately announce Bharat zens was palpable on vituperative and acidic, exception, and a notewor- was ignored by people more committed to maintaining peace and unity across Ratna for Ashok Singhal Twitter too, where numero #RamMandir and thy discordant note, often than not. the state. Everyone should support unity and amity in uno amongst the largest #JaiShriRam too remained revolved around the com- There were obvious excep- the country Tejasvi Surya @Tejasvi_Surya trending hashtags was a largely humane, empathet- ments of MIM chief, tions, but the tone and style — YOGI ADITYANATH, UP Chief Minister secular, wilfully detached ic and reasonable. Not too Asaduddin Owaisi. Several in which most Indians, by A civilizational wound is now and objective by choice many liked or shared pic- users expressed their dis- and large, spoke and healed. 490+ years of struggle has coinage was #AYOD- tures or videos of ostenta- agreement with his views, behaved, with such a deco- We are dissatisfied with certain findings of the finally ended in victory. Let’s bow HYAVERDICT (which tious celebrations, nor did again with respect. While rous becoming manner, Supreme Court. We respect the verdict and down to all the Ram bhakts who crossed 709K tweets by 10 those who felt a surge of joy Wasim Khan @wazkhaz30 expressing such hope for respectfully disagree with certain aspects of he verdict. relentlessly fought for this pm). The greatest senti- unleash it in the usual ugly said, “Owaisi sahib, Allah the future, was refreshingly We will study the judgment and may seek a review ment was a sane stance, so delightful. alien of Twitter throughout Maybe, we have already — ZAFARYAB GILANI, secretary, AIMPLB Jagan Mohan Reddy @ysjagan the year, of welcoming the A JUVENILE TWEET SMACKING OF BRAVADO, taken our first step towards The ruling on Ayodhya has been verdict and requesting all COMMUNALLY INSTIGATING IN INTENT, AND healing, reconciliation, and Satya ki vijay hai. Isko Jeet ya haar ke roop mein delivered after all parties have citizens to remain calm. appreciating a fellow citi- nahin dekhna chahiye. Court ne satya ko azad SUPERFICIALLY CELEBRATORY IN TONE WAS PUT zen who disagrees. Maybe, agreed to abide by the verdict. Any attempt to put up any kiya hai. No juloos and no naara showy celebration was put DOWN QUICKLY, WITH REPLIES LIKE ‘THE ONLY we have taken a first step in I urge everyone to abstain from down respectfully, but WINNER IS INDIAN DEMOCRACY’ trying to be a better nation. — SHARAD SHARMA, VHP spokesperson, who played a making provocative statements firmly. Hopefully not! key role in ram mandir movement

N. Chandrababu Naidu @ncbn The unanimous decision taken by Chetan Bhagat@chetan_bhagat Huma Qureshi @humasqureshi Farhan Akhtar@FarOutAkhtar Taapsee Pannu @taapsee Madhur Bhandarkar@ the panel of esteemed judges must imbhandarkar be respected. I request all to main- Thank you to the entire My dear Indians, Humble request to all con- #AYODHYAVERDICT tain peace and harmony Muslim community for please respect cerned, please respect hail Supreme Court! Welcome the fair #AyodhyaVerdict your grace and gen- the Supreme the Supreme Court ver- Let the needful be verdict over the erosity. Thank you to Court verdict on dict on #AyodhyaCase done. Now moving #AyodhyaCase by the Hindus for patience. #AyodhyaCase today. Accept it with towards working on Hon. Supreme Court. Pawan Kalyan @PawanKalyan India remains intact, as today. We all need grace if it goes for you issues that will Finally the long pend- The healing and historical judge- does the birth- to heal together or against you. Our help our ing issue will be ment by Supreme Court on ‘Ram place of and move on from country needs to nation resolved now Janmabhoomi’ reflects the distilled Ram. Jai this as one move on from become the wisdom of Indian Judiciary Shri Ram nation this as one BEST place people to LIVE in THE ASIAN AGE 10 JUDGMENT DAY SUNDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2019 | NEW DELHI Babri Masjid dispute: A brief recall The demolition propelled the BJP to electoral significance. In 1996, it tasted political power at the Centre for the first time. Ram Puniyani

ith the Supreme Court pronouncing a unani- mous judgment, allotting the disputed Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi land to the Hindus, one long chapter of recent political imbroglio came to a halt on Saturday. Most of the concerned organisations, in a welcome move,W have asked the communities to keep calm. A brief recap of the dispute is necessary in order to under- stand how the Babri Masjid issue turned controversial and

—RAJESH WARADKAR what was the political fallout of the demolition. The first Mughal emperor Babar’s trusted general Mir Baqi built the Masjid in 1528. There was no dispute over it till 1855, when a clash took place between Bairagis and Muslims on the issue of Chabutara (raised platform) outside the Masjid. The matter never raised its ugly head during the freedom struggle, when the nation came together to fight against colonial forces. After Independence, the issue came to the fore on the night of Babri razed, Sena rose December 22-23, 1949, when some elements forcibly broke the locks of the Masjid and installed Ram Lalla idols inside it. After the idols were illegally installed, fearing future trou- Shiv came to power in Maharashtra in 1995 riding on public sentiments fomented ble, the then Prime Minster Jawaharlal Nehru wrote to G.B. Pant, erstwhile chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, to get the by riots in 1992-93. Balasaheb Thackeray was ‘proud’ of Babri demolition. idols vacated. However, the local district collector, K.K. Nayyar, did not comply. In the 1980s, after the Shah Bano judgment was reversed by BHAGWAN PARAB demanded that a temple should the Parliament, the Centre decided to open the locks of the MUMBAI, NOV. 9 be constructed at the disputed Masjid. Buoyed by the move, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) site in Ayodhya. He had also SENA’S ROLE IN RAM MANDIR ISSUE took up the campaign of constructing a grand Ram Temple at A jubiliant Shiv Sena on urged the BJP-led Union gov- the site, claiming that Lord Ram was precisely born where the Saturday welcomed the ernment to introduce a law to After Babri Masjid’s demo- Current Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray kept Masjid stood. Supreme Court’s verdict, ensure construction of a grand The Sangh Parivar popularised the notion that Babri Masjid which cleared the way for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. lition, late Shiv Sena chief pressurising its ally BJP for the construction was a symbol of ‘foreign rule’ and Muslim atrocities. That party’s long-standing demand The Shiv Sena has used Ram Bal Thackeray claimed that of Ram Mandir. On Friday Uddhav said BJP- there was a temple at the spot and it was a part of the com- for a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Mandir issue in the past to cor- his organisation had played led Union government cannot take “credit” munal historiography introduced by the British. A.F. Party chief Uddhav Thackeray ner its long-time ally BJP. a key role in the bringing for the Supreme Court's much-awaited Beevridge, a British officer, while translating Babar’s mem- hailed the Supreme Court Mr Thackeray’s Ayodhya visit oirs had put a footnote that there may have been a temple on judgement and said that the in November last year was also down of the mosque. Ayodhya verdict. which the mosque was built. day would be written in golden seen as part of his efforts to put The campaign turned political in the late 80s, when the BJP words in Indian history. pressure on BJP as the party took over from the VHP. The party, currently engaged In June this For the January 1993 The Commission also stated Then BJP president L.K. in a bitter power struggle with THE UDDHAV THACKERAY- year, Uddhav riots, Srikrishna that by the time the Shiv Sena IN THE 1980s, AFTER THE Advani began a Rath Yatra the BJP, even hinted that it was Thackeray went Commission report realised that enough had been SHAH BANO JUDGMENT WAS from Somnath to Ayodhya. ready to put its ambition of LED PARTY, CURRENTLY The Rath Yatra was fol- ENGAGED IN A BITTER to UP and blamed Bal Thackeray done by way of “retaliation”, REVERSED BY PARLIAMENT, forming the government in THE CONGRESS lowed by communal vio- Maharashtra on backburner POWER STRUGGLE WITH offered prayer and Sena of taking the the violence and rioting was lence across the country. for the sake of constructing a THE BJP, EVEN HINTED THAT at Ram Lalla lead in organising beyond the control of its lead- GOVERNMENT LED BY RAJIV Mr Advani was arrested in Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. IT WAS READY TO PUT ITS temple in attacks on Muslims ers, who had to issue an GANDHI DECIDED TO OPEN Bihar as per the orders of Senior Sena leader Sanjay Ayodhya. and their properties. appeal to put an end to it. THE LOCKS OF THE MASJID the then chief minister Raut, in a tweet, said, “Pehle AMBITION OF FORMING THE Lalu Yadav. Yet, many were Mandir Phir Sarkar!! Ayodhya GOVERNMENT IN able to reach the Masjid. To mein Mandir, Maharashtra MAHARASHTRA ON THE prevent any damage to the mein Sarkar... Jai ShriRam.” BACKBURNER FOR THE SAKE movement was a big agitation. parts of the state after the as outside of it. structure, erstwhile Uttar While emphasising the Some people are not with us Babri Masjid demolition, fur- “The contribution of Pradesh CM Mulayam Singh Yadav ordered the police to fire at importance of the long-pend- OF CONSTRUCTING A RAM now. Some have lost their lives ther ascertained Sena’s image Balasaheb in the Ram the mob. ing issue to his party, Mr MANDIR AT AYODHYA. in the agitation. I salute them as a hardline Hindu nationalist Janmabhoomi movement is After the then PM V.P. Singh announced the implementation Thackeray announced that he ‘PEHLE MANDIR PHIR all.” Uttar Pradesh and Centre. party in the country. The party immense,” said Shiv Sena MP of the Mandal Commission recommendations, the movement would visit Ayodhya on SARKAR!!... JAI SHRIRAM’, ation. I salute them all.” also faced allegations of Arvind Sawant, who is also the got a new lease of life. November 24 to offer his The Shiv Sena ows its elec- orchestrating the violence dur- Union minister of heavy indus- The Sangh Parivar decided to perform ‘Kar Seva’ on prayers. TWEETED SANJAY RAUT toral success in Maharashtra ing the riots. tries and a Member of December 6, 1992. The then UP CM Kalyan Singh had given a “I had visited Ayodhya on to the Ram Mandir issue. The However, the Ram Mandir Parliament from Mumbai written undertaking to protect the Masjid. However, with November 24 last year and party came into nationa lime- issue also benefited the Shiv South. nearly three lakh Kar Sevaks in Ayodhya on the fateful day, the offered prayers. I also partici- had failed to resolve the issue light in the nineties when its Sena immensely, as it propelled “When no one was willing to security forces withdrew from the site. The Masjid was demol- pated in ‘aarti’ on the banks of politically despite being in chief Balasaheb Thackeray to power in Maharashtra in speak after the Babri Masjid ished, in a span of just five and a half hours. The cheering river Sarayu there. I had then power in Uttar Pradesh and claimed credit for Babri Masjid 1995. demolition, Balasaheb openly crowd, led by Mr Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma taken along with me soil from Centre. demolition. In fact, the party Riding on the wave of a came out to say the he was Bharati, raised the slogan, “Ye to Keval Jhanki hai, Kashi, the Shivneri fort, the birth- He said he would visit L.K. did not even hesitate to shed its strong religious polarisation proud of Shiv Sainiks if they Mathura Baki hai (This is just the beginning, Kashi, Mathura place of Chhatrapati Shivaji Advani, who had undertaken a original tag of being a pro- that soared after the riots, the had demolished the Masjid. will follow)”. Maharaj, and prayed for a mir- Rathayatra. The veteran BJP Marathi party to become a Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party During the Ram Janmabhoomi The demolition was investigated by Liberhan Commission, acle to ensure construction of a leader has been sidelined in the Hindutva party. (BJP) alliance won the polls movement, he also coined the which opined that it was a planned act led by Mr Advani and Ram temple. I am happy that BJP ever since Prime Minister The Shiv Sena organised and formed the first truly non- popular slogan ‘Garv Se Kaho company. Those guilty of demolishing the Masjid have not yet that miracle happened within a Narendra Modi took charge of events like Maha Aartis in Congress government in Hum Hindu Hai’. The construc- been punished. The demolition was followed by massive vio- year,” he said. the party. nook and corners of the city to Maharashtra. tion of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya lence, particularly in Mumbai and also in other cities. During the Lok Sabha cam- Crediting Mr Advani on Ram keep the issue burning. Since then the party has been is a matter of country’s pride,” The demolition propelled the BJP to electoral significance. paign earlier this year, Mr Mandir issue, the Sena chief The deadly riots, which fol- aggressively pursuing the the Sena’s lone minister at the In 1996, the BJP tasted political power at the Centre for the Thackeray had categorically added, “Ram Janmabhoomi lowed in Mumbai and other issue, in the Parliament as well Centre added. first time. ’92 riots signalled Bombay’s transformation to Mumbai A temple won’t heal wounds Times of India. By the time city, which had provided open karne ke liye kuch re filled with stone pelters. critical and scary. Meena Menon I reached office, I heard on THE LEGACY OF THE refuge to many, became a raste nikale or pls koi faisla Kaniza Garari A group of boys ran with Every morning, my the radio that many people GHASTLY VIOLENCE WIT- hell on earth. nikale (sic) (Happy Diwali, sticks and stones. A police neighbours who had their were killed. Justice B.N. NESSED BETWEEN The timber godowns There is no justice in the van on the main road did extended family of eight he country’s Srikrishna, who headed the DECEMBER 1992 AND burnt for days at Reay Road case of my son ecember 6, not cross to our side of the in Madanpura, South oldest land dis- commission of inquiry into and every day brought ShahnawazWagle. Can you 1992 was a lane. My only view to the Mumbai, called to inform pute has been the riots, has in his reports JANUARY 1993 WEIGHS renewed clashes. I remem- meet PM Modi or the chief special Sun- incidents was a single that they were alive, and resolved today outlined the beginning of HEAVILY ON MUMBAI ber hiding while hearing minister and ask him to day for the window of our home that vice-versa. We could not and a temple tensions on December 6 and (THEN the short bursts of gunfire find a way to open the case Lokhan- was kept open. The rest call my mother as interna- will be built at 7, 1992. BOMBAY) AND A RAM in a Vikhroli slum. At and do something).” dwala-Mantri were shut tight and no one tional calls would raise Ayodhya,T but few will know Wading through police TEMPLE IN AYODHYA IS night, we would travel Shahnawaz was allegedly Dfamily at Firdaus was to venture out. doubt. Night vigils beca- about a case that continues logbook entries of wireless home in office cars for safe- shot dead by policemen, Apartments in Kurla. Six There was a commotion me the order of the day. in a Mumbai sessions court, communications, he found NOT GOING TO ASSUAGE ty, passing tense neighbour- according to his sister families in two adjacent as men ran up and down On December 10, the related to the communal trouble brewing in the city ITS WOUNDS. hoods where evidence of Yasmin. It was only in apartments were prepar- the building. There was a Kurla office of the local riots in the aftermath of the at various points. By 11.34 the day's arson was still August 2007, when citizens ing for a wedding during Masjid opposite the build- corporator, Firoze Mantri, demolition of the Babri am, trouble was reported in smouldering. groups demanded justice, Christmas. My mother ing. The lane adjacent to it blasted late at night. Our Masjid on December 6, 1992. South Mumbai. At around Opposite The Times of that Taher was called to had gone to Karachi, her had small settlements and building was the resi- In the Suleman Usman 4.40 pm, local Shiv Sena slept, was funereal. India office, Victoria record his statement. maiden visit to Pakistan, the men were all crowded dence of his family and bakery firing case, witness- leaders took out a cycle The barbaric violence had Terminus (now CSMT) was The police registered 2,267 to meet her only sister. in the front homes. A cousins. My father wor- es are still being examined. rally in Dharavi passing barely subsided in bursting with people fleeing riot cases, of which, 1,371 There were few TV sets group of men stood on the ried the building would be The demolition of Babri through several “sensitive” December when the infa- in trains packed beyond were closed as true but those days. But by noon, terrace situated of our targeted. The compound Masjid became a pivot for areas, culminating in a pub- mous Gandhi chawl inci- capacity. Some of them undetected. A Special Task there was a commotion in building to keep an eye. gates the building gates unprecedented violence in lic meeting. The first dent revived it in January were never to return. Force was formed to act on the building. In the 21 For a Bombay-bred girl, were also locked. The ten- the city, revealing the com- instances of stone throwing 1993. Two members of the Hospitals were packed with the Srikrishna report and flats, whoever had a TV this was the first-hand day ordeal was only a munal character of the and firing was reported at Bane family and four of those injured from bullet the cases were re-examined was watching the news. In experience of violence up- glimpse of the turmoil police and the influence of Minara Masjid in Pydhonie, their neighbours, including and knife wounds. As by a committee headed by my house, there was no close. The annual family brewing across the coun- parties like the Shiv Sena. at night. a handicapped girl, were reporters, we visited and the director general of TV. The news trickled in visit to Godhra during try. Even police jeeps had the There was little indication burnt to death at night. counted the dead in Cooper police. through my father, my summer vacations had a The Christmas wedding “Jai Shree Ram” stickers that the violence would spi- Naina Bane, who survived, and JJ Hospital. In long cor- Only 112 cases were rein- uncle and my grandfather. strict set of rules to be fol- celebrations were can- on their windshields. The ral out of control and became the “face” of the ridors or courtyard, yellow- vestigated. In only eight My sisters were told that lowed, in which we could celled. My mother was ba- riots changed the cosmopol- spread over two months, second phase of the riots. ing bodies of young men cases, fresh chargesheets there would not be any not venture out without ck in town. The New Year itan character of Bombay, with the army conducting But the Shiv Sena, which were piling up, their reli- were filed. Some 894 college or school for a few an escort during the day to in 1993 came with a new sharpening the divide flag marches. After all, this exhorted Hindus to take gion no longer relevant. chargesheets were filed in days. The Masjid in the other side where the set of riots. January was between Hindus and was Bombay. I remember revenge, hardly supported That was when we realised courts. In 2007, 16 cases Ayodhya had been demol- Hindus lived. After 6 p.m. the month of burnings. Muslims. the anger on Mohammed the Bane family later. that nearly 500 had been were expedited through ished and the situation it was an absolute no. The wood scrap-yard in There are no memorials to Ali Road after Prime Naina’s brother Sudarshan killed in December 1992 - special courts, while 93 dor- was tense. But that was Godhra and Kurla depot, Kapadia the over 900 lives lost (offi- Minister P.V. Narasimha said the party didn't even the police figure were much mant ones were revived. In I was a student at this was Bombay. How nagar and Hall Road were cially) in the two months of Rao’s whistle-stop tour. provide Naina with a house lower as it depended on the 539 cases, the accused were Somaiya College of come we were witnessing burnt. Bottles were filled riots. The violence is clear As Muslims poured out of and all of them had to fend number of post-mortems acquitted or discharged. In Science and Commerce in this behaviour in a civil- with petrol and fired with as daylight for some while the Mosque, the army offi- for themselves. they did in a day. 2010, 202 cases were sent to Vidyavihar, and I had a ised and modern city? A rags or sent like rockets others have moved on. cer in-charge asked us to The scale of violence that On the 25th anniversary of fast track courts, where project to complete. naive thought. Huddled in from one locality to anoth- Back in 1992, it was a leave quickly. We left only swept the city was massive: the riots in 2017, I got a mes- some are still dragging on. However, I was certain the house, the narrative of e r. Sunday and I watched the after being accosted by People were killed inside sage from Taher Wagle. Yet, justice remained elu- that as I had classes in the violence came in the form We were not sure if we Kar Sevaks climbing the groups of people who were homes and shops; many “Happy Diwali. Mere bete sive for many families. morning, I would be back of expression. My grand- would see the next morn- Masjid on TV. My Muslim in no mood to answer any were burnt to death in taxis Shahnawaz Wagle ka abhi The legacy of the 1992-93 home by noon. But it was father, who had witnessed ing. It was the beginning neighbours watched with questions. We had to get or in public places; shops tak kuch faisla nahi hua violence weighs heavily on not to be. The morning such incidents in his life, of the change in mindset: me. I still recall the faces of curfew passes to travel were looted and establish- pls. Ap Modi sarkar ya phir Mumbai and a temple is not saw angry protests, and by was standing guard at the From Bombay to the young boys, pale with through desolate streets, ments belonging to CM sahib se milkar going to assuage its afternoon, the streets we- apartment gate. Night was Mumbai. fear. I was a reporter at The and the city that never Muslims were targeted. A Shahnawaz Wagle ka case wounds. THE ASIAN AGE 11 JUDGMENT DAY SUNDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2019 | NEW DELHI Nuanced verdict brings closure: Prince of Arcot ‘Bhismacharya’

he Prince of Arcot, the steady progress and devel- Nawab Mohammed opment of the country, which TAbdul Ali, has welcomed can be achieved only by won it for the Supreme Court of India’s improving the socio-economic verdict on long-pending Babri conditions of the masses, not Masjid-Ramjanambhoomi dis- by creating conflicts over pute. places of worship. Ram Lalla Describing it as a nuanced India today is a diverse and judgement, the Prince said it pluralistic society: multi-eth- AGE CORRESPONDENT has finally brought closure to nic, multi-linguistic, multi- CHENNAI, NOV. 9 what looked like an religious and multi-cultural. intractable dispute between That is its great strength. It “CJI: Do u want to sit & argue? the two major communities of must be preserved. We are 92-yr-old Parasaran: It’s ok. You’re too kind. The India. He sincerely appealed part of humanity with all its tradition of the Bar has been to stand & argue, and to Muslim parties and the All rich diversity of religions, lan- I’m concerned about the tradition. My last wish India Muslim Personal Law guages, cultures, traditions before I die, is to finish this case.” Board (AIMPLB) not to file a and experience and India That's one of many posts in social media to hail review petition against the forms a large microcosm of Senior Counsel K Parasaran, who at an advanced Supreme Court’s verdict. He the contemporary world, he age of 92, fought the case for Ram Lalla in the said that the Muslim bodies said. Supreme Court, exhibiting awesome energy of mind must honour their promise of Let us remember, communal- and body through the 40 grueling days of final argu- abiding by the court’s ruling if ism brings death, destruction ments, often dipping into his deep knowledge of the it were to go against them, in and horror in an expanding ancient scriptures to win all-round accolades. all fairness to God and man, way. Indian law specifically The twitter post by @SirJadeja was recalling a he said. prohibits the practice of com- widely reported incident in the court when Chief The Muslims must find sol- munalism, the promotion of Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi politely asked ace in the fact that the disharmony, enmity and ill- Parasaran, considering his advanced age more than Supreme Court did not agree will between different reli- his professional fame, if he would like to sit and with the contention that the gious communities and argue his case. 'Padma Vibhushan' Parasaran, who Babri Masjid was built after exploitation of religion. had served as Attorney General of India for six long demolishing a Hindu temple. The Prince appealed to all years till 1989, was even more polite in thanking the He praised the Supreme Court fellow citizens and said in a CJI and telling him he would rather not seek exemp- for reiterating the fact that statement that “India’s future tion from the “tradition of the Bar to stand and both the demolition of the is in your hands. Promote the argue”. Babri Masjid in 1992 and the spirit of tolerance and nation- Such has been his deep commitment towards prac- surreptitious placing of idols al integration. Let us not give tising the right court in 1949 in the structure were any quarter to communalism manners while pro- illegal. Therefore, those and pseudo-nationalism. We “MY LAST WISH pounding his legal responsible for the demolition must together resist all knowledge and pro- must be brought to book. attempts to exploit religious BEFORE I DIE IS TO SEE fessional competence, The Prince also appealed to sentiments for political pur- A LOGICAL END TO not to forget his the people of India, irrespec- poses.” THIS CASE”, famed practice of tive of caste, creed or religion, He called upon the people to PARASARAN HAD SAID drawing heavily from especially the Hindus and join hands and stand up for the Upanishads, Gita Muslims to work together for communal harmony, secular- DURING HIS COURT and other scriptures ism, fraternity and human sol- ARGUMENTS, PLEADING to buttress his case idarity. Let us build a strong, WITH THE arguments with tradi- united, democratic, just and CONSTITUTION BENCH tional Indian values. prosperous India, he empha- Some of those sised. THAT THE ENTIRE awestruck followers DISPUTED LAND India’s future is in your of the court events have tweeted a multi- hands. Promote the BELONGS TO HIS CLIENT, RAM LALLA tude of requests to spirit of tolerance and the Union national integration. Let us Government that this not give any quarter to 'Bhishmacharya' of communalism and India's legal profession, this 'guru from Tamil Nadu' pseudo-nationalism. We must must be decorated with Bharat Ratna. “Periyar together resist all attempts to broke Ram statue in TN, Kalaignar said there is no exploit religious sentiments proof for existence of Ram. But today, we have from for political purposes Model Ayodhya temple the same TN (Srirangam), Shri Parasaran as leading One of the models of Sri Ram Temple displayed in New delhi. — SONDEEP SHANKAR counsel appeared for Ram Lalla Virajman. Lord — PRINCE OF ARCOT Ram returns after 491 years of exile & we are blessed to see this”, said one among the multitude of admir- ers on twitter. ● The family of a karsevak Sadashiv Jadav who The extensive media reportage during the 40 days was killed in the 2002 Godhra train burning of intense arguments in the court had a liberal dose incident hailed the verdict. “Today, I am of Parasaran's submissions before the Bench, his happy....My father's dream of Ram temple ‘No place for bitterness, fear in new India’ responses to the clarifications sought by the judges. He would go well prepared every day for the sessions being constructed in Ayodhya will be fulfilled,” AGE CORRESPONDENT ness one may have. He said justice (the apex court) that began at 10.30 in the morning and closed around said Jadav son Vilas. NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 there is no place for fear, has amicably concluded a 4 or 5 pm. And during those sessions, he would often bitterness and negativity matter going on for face the mercurial Rajeev Dhavan representing the ● Deendayal Parisar, the BJP's headquarters in India’s credo of unity in in new India. decades, he said the SC Muslim side. The veteran would forever stay calm, Madhya Pradesh, was decorated with earthen diversity was visible in its Settling a fractious issue verdict will further even when Dhavan tore up pages or termed as 'fool- lamps on Saturday to “express gratitude” totality after the Supreme that goes back more than a strengthen people’s faith ish' someone from the Hindu side. One media report Court verdict on the century, the top court in a in the judicial system. refers to how when the arguments concluded on following the verdict. Ayodhya land dispute as historic verdict backed the “The calm and peace October 16 and the court reserved orders, Parasaran ● all sections of the society construction of a Ram maintained by 130 crore waited outside for 15 minutes to meet Dhavan and A Muslim organisation in Madhya Pradesh accepted it with an open temple by a trust at the Indians in the run-up to take a photograph with him. That was a great lesson announced the cancellation of the traditional heart, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi disputed site in Ayodhya. today’s verdict manifests not just for Bhishma's team but to the entire lawyer annual procession to mark Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, Modi said on Saturday, In a series of tweets in India’s inherent commit- community. the birthday of Prophet Mohammed, to be held urging people to shun bit- Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Hindi and English, Mr ment to peaceful coexis- “My last wish before I die is to see a logical end to on Sunday. An organiser said the decision was terness and negativity for in Pakistan for Indian Modi also asserted that the tence. May this very spirit this case”, Parasaran had said during his court the sake of a new India. Sikh devotees),” the Prime judgment clearly illus- of unity and togetherness arguments, pleading with the Constitution Bench taken in view of the verdict. Addressing the nation Minister said. trates that everybody is power the development that the entire disputed land belongs to his client, hours after the top court He said India’s credo of equal before the law. trajectory of our nation. Ram Lalla. Well now, he has achieved victory in the ● The historic verdict of the Supreme Court gave its judgment, Mr unity in diversity is today “Be it Ram Bhakti or May every Indian be court and going by his robust physical and mental coincided with the 30th anniversary of the fall Modi said the way each visible in its totality. Rahim Bhakti (devotion to empowered,” he said. health, the grand old man of Mylapore is sure to of the Berlin Wall. section of the society wel- The PM also expressed Ram or Rahim), it is In a series of tweets, score the century while getting several more cases to comed the verdict reflects happiness that the five- imperative that we Home minister Amit Shah their logical end. ● The ministry of information and broadcasting India’s ancient traditions judge bench was unani- strengthen the spirit of appealed to all communi- issued an advisory to all television channels and of amity and harmony. mous in its order. Mr Modi rashtra bhakti (devotion ties and religions to accept “It is a day of unity (jode said peace, unity and to the country),” he said, the decision of the apex cable TV operators in the wake of the verdict to ka din, referring to the amity are essential for adding “the verdict court with ease and adhere to programme code and ensure that opening of Kartarpur cor- development of India and shouldn’t be seen as a win remain committed to “Ek debates, discussions and visuals do not incite ridor, a historic event described November 9 as a or loss for anybody.” Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat’ any “divisive” or “anti-national” feelings which opened access to day to forget any bitter- Noting that the temple of (one India, great India). 2nd of 3 core promises by BJP done Parasaran NARASIMHAN arguments were rudely in part achieved through the VIJAYARAGHAVAN brought to an end with Rajeev THE FIRST APPEALS WERE KEPT Triple Talaq legislation. What Dhavan tearing up a map, just 3 BOILING IN THE APEX COURT FOR A next? A party that was branded and it to Chief Justice days were given to all sides to as communal, came down to 2 Ranjan Gogoi. He is furnish their submissions in DECADE. MENTIONS WERE MADE MPs in 1984, could not last 13 H“Man of the Match” and relation to ‘moulding the BEFORE ONE CHIEF JUSTICE AFTER days and 13 months, in govern- now a man of history too. He reliefs’. It is from these sugges- ANOTHER. NONE HAD THE GUMPTION, ment, in their early forays, was aware it would be a miracle tions, and also from the con- today stands on the cusp of if he could conclude the hear- temporaneous mediation GALL AND CONFIDENCE TO LIST IT. BUT turning real each of the 3 ings for a verdict. He has per- process led by Justice Ibrahim GOGOI WAS MADE OF STERNER STUFF. impossible dreams. The opposi- formed a higher miracle in Khalifullah, the gentleman AND FROM THE PULPIT, HE CARRIED AUTHORITY. THE tion parties must be gasping for accomplishing a unanimous judge from Tamil Nadu, that breath and Shiv Sena may have one. Just to capture the potency the Supreme Court picked up JUDGES MET DISSENT, EVEN PERSONAL BARBS, BUT chosen an inopportune of the sensitivity of the issue, its cues in the grant of reliefs. IGNORED THEM FOR A HIGHER CAUSE moment to test an ally. the 1,045 page verdict, includ- Truth to tell, reference to medi- Muslims may feel peeved that ing the Addendum, is authored ation has turned out to be a Art.142 was invoked to render by all five judges ‘anonymous- masterstroke, in appropriating ‘complete justice’ when it may ly’ - a never before occurrence. the generosity of the Muslims, entire 2.77 acres of disputed session and worship of believ- be injustice to them, as the The first appeals were kept with an imprimatur from the land’. And the Sunni Waqf ers in Ram’s birth place’, to Supreme Court had conceded boiling in the apex court for a Supreme Court. Board’s worship claims allied vote on the entire 2.77 acres. proof of their ‘vested right’ in decade. Mentions were made Lord Ram may (as the Hindus with illegal demolition of However, they ruled that demo- worship and illegality in demo- before one Chief Justice after believe) or may not (as the Babri Masjid got them 5 acres lition of Babri Masjid being lition of Bari Masjid. Therein another. None had the gump- Addendum dissent suggests) of alternate land in a promi- illegal, SWB would be entitled lies the seeds of dissent and a tion, gall and confidence to list have been born in Ayodhya. nent place in Ayodhya. for reparation in ‘5 acres of possible review, but the score it. But Gogoi was made of The top court said ‘continued Coming to the ‘moulding of alternate land’ to be given by line being 5-0, it may turn out to sterner stuff. And from the pul- worship across centuries was reliefs’, the Supreme Court Central/State governments, for be an exercise in futility. If pit, he carried authority. The no myth but real’. Equally, the embraced that panacea for all construction of a mosque. peace and harmony reign, in judges met dissent, even per- Supreme Court did not dismiss ills - provision in Art.142 of the Modi, it appears, is destiny’s the wake of this “wise and sonal barbs, but ignored them the ‘namaz practices of Constitution which our forefa- child, for BJP, to fulfil their sagacious compromise like ver- for a higher cause. Muslims in the Babri Masjid’. thers had thoughtfully provid- three core manifesto promises. dict”, as a retired judge said, we In a moment of ‘utter judicial The idol Ram accepted as juris- ed for, ‘to do complete justice’. Art.370 through Parliament, may yet have the closure we madness’, as a twitter handle tic person (not Ram Supreme Court religiously now, building of a grand Ram deserve. put it, Ranjan Gogoi chose to Janmabhoomi itself, as urged) tucked into it, based on the temple, via judicial benevo- (The writer is a practising bite the bullet. After heated was favoured with ‘a decree of ‘continued and unimpeded pos- lence and a Uniform Civil Code, advocate in Madras HC) THE ASIAN AGE 12 JUDGMENT DAY SUNDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2019 | NEW DELHI

2019 Jan. 4 SC says an appropriate bench constituted by it will pass an order on January 10 for fixing the date of hearing in the title case. ● Jan. 8: SC sets up a five-judge Constitution Bench to hear the case headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and comprising justices S A Bobde, N V Ramana, U U Lalit and D Y Chandrachud. ● Jan. 10: Justice U U Lalit recuses himself PICS: SONDEEP SHANKAR prompting SC to reschedule the hearing for January 29 before a new bench. ● Jan. 25: SC reconstitutes 5-member Constitution Bench to hear the case. The new bench comprises Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, The Ram Katha... Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer. ● Jan. 29: Centre moves SC seeking permis- 1528 | Babri Masjid built by Mir Baqi, commander sion to return the 67-acre acquired land While most people familiar of Mughal emperor Babur. with the destruction of the around the disputed site to original owners. 1885 | Mahant Raghubir Das files plea in Faizabad ● Feb. 26: SC favours mediation, fixes Mar 5 Babri Masjid in district court seeking permission to build a canopy for order on whether to refer matter to court- December 1992 know that outside the disputed structure. Court rejects the appointed mediator. plea. the inscriptions on the ● 1949 | Idols of Ram Lalla placed under central March 8: SC refers the dispute for mediation mosque state that it was dome outside the disputed structure. by a panel headed by former apex court judge F M I Kallifulla. built in 1528-29 by Mughal 1950 | Gopal Simla Visharad files suit in Faizabad ● emperor Babur's general district court for rights to worship the idols of Ram April 9: Nirmohi Akhara opposes in SC Lalla. Centre's plea to return acquired land around Mir Baqi, how many are Ayodhya site to owners. ● Paramahansa Ramachandra Das files suit for familiar with the many continuation of worship and keeping the idols. ● May 9: 3-member mediation committee sub- mits interim report in SC. twists and turns in the his- 1959 | Nirmohi Akhara files suit seeking possession tory of a site that has been of the site. ● May 10: SC extends time till Aug 15 to com- plete mediation process. at the heart of a dispute for 1961 | UP Sunni Central Waqf Board files suit for ● over 500 years? It may possession of the site. July 11: SC seeks report on "progress of 1986 | Feb. 1 | Local court orders the government to mediation". have only bubbled to the open the site for Hindu worshippers. ● July 18: SC allows mediation process to con- fore when after years of 1989 Aug. 14 | Allahabad HC orders maintenance of tinue, seeks outcome report by Aug 1. relative quiet, a Sant status quo in respect of the disputed structure. ● Aug. 1: Report of mediation submitted in Digvijay Nath from the 1992 Dec. 6 | Babri Masjid demolished. sealed cover to SC. Gorakhnath math — the 1993 April 3 | 'Acquisition of Certain Area at ● Aug. 2: SC decides to conduct day-to day Ayodhya Act' passed for acquiring land by Centre BJP leaders Uma Bharti with Murali Manohar Joshi on the day hearing from Aug 6 as mediation fails. alma mater of the current in the disputed area. the Babri Masjid was brought down on Dec. 6, 1992 UP chief minister, Yogi ● Aug. 6: SC commences day-to-day hearing ● Various writ petitions, including one by Ismail Aug. 7: SC constitutes three-judge bench to hear on the land dispute. Adityanath — organised a Faruqui, filed in Allahabad HC challenging various pleas challenging 1994 verdict of the Allahabad HC. aspects of the Act. ● Oct. 4: SC says it will wrap up hearing on nine-day recitation of the 2018 Feb. 8 | SC starts hearing the civil appeals. Oct 17, judgement by Nov 17. ● SC exercising its jurisdiction under Article 139A Ramcharitmanas, at the transferred the writ petitions, which were pending ● July 20: SC reserves verdict. - SC directs UP govt to provide security to end of which idols of Rama in the High Court. ● Sept. 27: SC declines to refer the case to a state Waqf Board Chairperson and Sita appeared inside 1994 Oct. 24 | SC says in historic Ismail Faruqui five-judge Constitution bench. Case to be heard ● Oct. 16: SC concludes hearing; reserves case mosque was not integral to Islam. by a newly constituted three-judge bench on order. the mosque. The then dis- October 29. 2002 April | HC begins hearing on determining who ● trict magistrate in charge ● Nov. 9: SC grants entire 2.77 acre of disput- owns the disputed site. Oct. 29: SC fixes the case for the first week of ed land in Ayodhya to deity Ram January before an appropriate bench, of Faizabad district, K.K.K. 2003 March 13 | SC says, in the Aslam alias Bhure Lalla, possession of land will which will decide the schedule remain with Central govern- Nayar, refused to remove case, no religious activity of any nature be of hearing. allowed at the acquired land. ment receiver. SC also the idols and police ● Dec. 24: SC decides to directs Centre and UP promptly locked the prem- 2010: Sept. 30 | HC, in a 2:1 majority, rules take up petitions on govt to allot 5 acre land three-way division of disputed area ises, with only Hindu case for hearing on to the Muslims at a between Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi January 4, 2019. prominent place for priests allowed entry to Akhara and Ram Lalla. building mosque. perform daily rituals. 2011 May 9 | SC stays HC verdict on Without further ado, the Ayodhya land dispute. 2017 March 21 | CJI J.S. Khehar mosque was now a temple. suggests out-of-court settle- The Sunni Wakf board ment among rival par- objected. The ABRM filed a ties. suit. But it wasn't until right-wing groups like the Nov. 9, 2019 SC grants entire 2.77 acre of disputed land in Vishwa Hindu Parishad Ayodhya to deity Ram Lalla, possession of land will began a movement to remain with Central government receiver. SC also directs Centre and UP govt to allot 5 acre land to the reclaim the site for a Ram Muslims at a prominent place for building mosque. temple, and it snowballed << into a huge protest that led Jabalpur: Students of the to the demolition of the Sanskrit Veda Vigyan Kendra watch Supreme Babri Masjid in 1992, that Court's verdict on the Ayodhya case on a phone, the Ramjanmabhoomi in Jabalpur, Saturday, movement brought the BJP Nov. 9, 2019. The apex court on Saturday cleared from the sidelines to the way for the construc- tion of a Ram Temple at national prominence. And the disputed site at with today’s verdict, Ayodhya, and directed the Centre to allot a 5-acre etched their name in the plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a history books. mosque. – PTI DELHI AGE Matinee Giorgia ready for 25 Bollywood ELHI PECIAL debut D NEW DELHI SUNDAYS 10 NOVEMBER 2019

SPORT | Cricket NATION Please leave PM opens Kartarpur Pant alone, says corridor, Manmohan Rohit Sharma 16 among visitors 15 GUIDE TO FORTUNE ■ Will help consolidating ‘Hindu votebank’, feels saffron party City Muslims not satisfied Tick the answer and check them below. Who was the first BJP hopeful SC verdict will 1American President to with apex court’s ruling reside at The White House? ‘Temple, mosque at site would have been a better gesture’ ■ Abraham Lincoln SUNIL THAPLIYAL ■ George Washington favour it in Delhi elections NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 ■ John Adams AGE CORRESPONDENT Delhi’s Muslim communi- No point in stretching issue Who is the only British NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 ty is not satisfied with the 2Prime Minister to have Supreme Court’s verdict further: Jama Masjid Imam received the Nobel Prize in Desperatedly trying to Cong, BJP & AAP welcome ruling, paving way for construc- Literature? revive its electoral tion of Ram temple in AGE CORRESPONDENT prospects in Delhi, which Ayodhya. NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 ■ Anthony Eden is scheduled to face appeal for peace and harmony A section of the Muslim ■ Harold Macmillan Assembly polls soon, the community is of the view Accepting the Supreme ■ Sir Winston Churchill BJP is of the view that SUNIL THAPLIYAL This verdict is not a victory that the matter could have Court verdict in the Ram the Supreme Court’s ver- NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 or defeat of any commu- been amicably resolved Janmabhoomi-Babri dict on the had the top court allowed Masjid title dispute case, The title of which Pink nity and you should main- Floyd album is also a Ramjanambhoomi-Babri For once, the AAP and both the communities to the Imam of Jama 3 Masjid issue could help it the Delhi units of the BJP tain peace and harmony after construct their religious Masjid in Delhi, Syed chapter in 'The Wind In in consolidating the and the Congress were on the verdict places at the disputed site. Ahmed Bukhari, said on The Willows? “Hindu votebank,” which the same page in welcom- There were others who Saturday that the matter otherwise gets divided ing the Supreme Court — Manoj Tiwari, said they feel betrayed as should not be stretched ■ Animals into regional groups. verdict on the Ayodhya Delhi BJP president they had not been allowed further. ■ Wish you were here Already facing leader- dispute. Chief minister to rebuild the mosque, He said that Muslims ■ The piper at the gates of ship crisis to take on Arvind Kejriwal said the which was destroyed by in the country want dawn Arvind Kejriwal led rul- judgement has ended the of many years ended Supreme Court’s verdict kar sevaks way back in peace and they had ing AAP and also infested decades old dispute and today. I appeal all to and said the verdict was 1992. “The best thing already said that they with factionalism, the appealed to people to maintain peace and har- balanced. would have been to allow would accept whatever Imam of Jama Masjid SHORT TAKES BJP feels that the verdict maintain peace and har- mony,” Mr Kejriwal “It’s a historic judge- construction of both Ram judgment the apex court Syed Ahmed Bukhari at a will have a positive mony. tweeted. Mr Tiwari wel- ment, this was a long temple and Babari delivers. press meet on Saturday. impact on its poll per- A meeting held at the comed the judgment as pending issue. Further, mosque at the disputed The Supreme Court, in — BIPLAB BANERJEE 13 fail alcohol test formance in Delhi, where Delhi Pradesh Congress “unprecedented and his- I’d like to say that every- site,” said a middle-aged a unanimous verdict on the saffron party man- Committee office, under toric” and added it was one should honour the Showkeen Ahmed, who Saturday, cleared the been going on for several in 2 weeks: DGCA aged to win just three the leadership of DPCC not a victory or defeat of court’s decision. We must runs a shop in the Walled way for the construction years should come to an seats in 2015. president Subhash anyone. Mr Tiwari look forward to develop- City. “Such a decision of a Ram temple at the end now,” Mr Bukhari New Delhi: A CISF driver- For the BJP poll man- Chopra, passed a unani- appealed to the people of ing the nation and all would have restored com- disputed site in Ayodhya said in a press confer- constable and six airside agers, the apex court’s mous resolution honour- Delhi to maintain peace communities and reli- munal harmony between and directed the Centre ence. workers failed the aviation verdict has come at a ing the verdict and asked and harmony. gions must work towards the two communities,” he to allot a 5-acre plot to When asked about the regulator DGCA-mandated time when the AAP gov- the party workers to “This verdict is not a nation-building,” said Mr added. the Sunni Waqf Board possibility of a review alcohol tests in the last two ernment has launched maintain restraint. victory or defeat of any Gambhir. Agreeing with Mr for building a mosque. petition being filed weeks, according to an offi- sops for its core vote- Elated over the court community and you The AAP has urged all Ahmed, another resident “We accept the court against the verdict, he cial statement issued on bank, including women, order, Delhi BJP chief should maintain peace communities to respect of Okhla said the top order and the Hindu- said the matter should Saturday. It also said 13 lower and lower-middle Manoj Tiwari took to and harmony after the the verdict and ensure court could have allotted Muslim issue which has not be stretched. employees of different air- class, which have gar- harmonium to sing some verdict,” Mr Tiwari said. that the social fabric of more land to Hindus than lines and airports failed alco- nered a positive response. verses for Lord Ram. Ex-cricketer and BJP’s India, a country of Muslims. hol tests between September Though the BJP had “We welcome the SC East Delhi MP Gautam “Ganga-Jamuna “But the judges should adding that the mosque gone with the sentiments 16 and October 28. The retained the seven Lok judgement. The dispute Gambhir hailed the tehzeeb”, is intact. have respected the senti- was demolished in the of the majority communi- Directorate General of Civil Sabha seats but party’s ments of both communi- 19th century. “The entire ty of this country, which Aviation (DGCA), in the poll managers are of the ties by allowing construc- demolition drive was cap- is very disturbing,” he statement, said that on view that they cannot share of 32.3 percent. bring a bill in this regard MLAs have been facing tion of temple and tured on cameras. But said. November 2, a driver-consta- repeat the same poll strat- The BJP is also banking in the upcoming winter anti-incumbency or mosque at the disputed there is no such proof to West Delhi’s Sushil ble of the Central Industrial egy in the Delhi on the recent announce- session of the embroiled in some con- site,” he added. show the mosque was Siddiqui said that all Security Force (CISF), who Assembly polls as the vot- ment by the Centre on Parliament. troversy, the ruling party, Disagreeing with them, raised after demolishing those people born after was working at the Mumbai ers will be more con- providing ownership However, for the BJP, unlike the BJP, is not fac- Hamida Sheikh, a resi- Lord Rama’s temple,” she 1992 have grown up with airport, tested positive in cerned about local issues. rights on properties to out of power in Delhi ing a leadership crisis. dent of East Delhi, said said. the visuals showing how breath analyser examination. The AAP had secured the residents of unautho- since 1998, the main prob- Speculation is rife within that after the court verdict Ms Sheikh’s neighbour, kar sevaks pulled down The aviation regulator on an absolute majority in rised settlements, which lem area is not just lead- the Delhi BJP that the Muslims were feeling Parvez, who works in a the Babari mosque. “It September 16 had issued 2015 by bagging 67 will benefit around 40 ership crisis or factional- party’s poll managers etrayed in the country. factory, said he too was was for the judges to rules for the tests to be con- Assembly seats and a vote lakh residents. ism but also finding want to go without a chief “We are feeling insecure disappointed with the restore their faith in the ducted at all airports for air- share of 54.3 percent. Prime Minister “winnable candidates.” ministerial face as their ever since BJP has come Supreme Court verdict. “I judiciary by allowing the side workers, including those Interestingly, the BJP, Narendra Modi, who had Though the BJP is like- experience of going with to power. Now, even the was thinking that the reconstruction of the handling aircraft mainte- which won just three recently met some RWAs, ly to improve its tally this a CM face in 2015 had judiciary has disappoint- judgement will be in our mosque at the very same nance, air traffic control seats, had managed a vote told that the Centre will time as some of the AAP been “disastrous.” ed us,” Ms Sheikh said, favour. But the court has place,” he said. (ATC) and ground handling services. 22-yr-old snatcher Air quality better, `90L Drones used to keep vigil over city 2 taken into held, aide escapes BHASKAR HARI SHARMA beefed up. Even the Jama fine on polluting units NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 Masjid area and other sen- custody for New Delhi: The Delhi Police sitive parts were turned PCR unit has arrested a 22- AGE CORRESPONDENT Quality and Weather In a bid to avoid any unto- into a fortress to prevent year-old snatcher active in NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 Forecasting and Research ward incident and mis- any untoward incident. spreading South Delhi area. The (SAFAR) said the share chief mongering in the The 26 CAPF companies accused has been identified Delhi recorded a decline of stubble burning in national capital following were also put on standby rumours as Ram Sagar, a resident of in the pollution level on Delhi’s pollution had the Supreme Court verdict to bolster strength. Delhi’s Chanakyapuri area. Saturday with the air been “very low” over the on the Ram The government has AGE CORRESPONDENT DCP (PCR) Sharat Kumar quality moving from the past couple of days. Janmabhoomi-Babri asked all the private TV NOIDA, NOV. 9 Sinha said that on November “very poor” to “poor cate- The Supreme Court- Masjid case, the Delhi channels, DTH operators, 8 at around 12 pm the staff gory” owing to favourable mandated anti-pollution police kept a strict vigil and cable operators not to Two people were comprising of ASI Duda Ram, wind speed. The Central authority on Saturday with the help of drones telecast debates or visuals taken into preventive woman constable Malti and Pollution Control Board’s said dirty fuel-based and CCTVs and also car- that might incite any divi- custody on Saturday constable Chet Ram were at daily bulletin registered industries in Delhi and its ried out a flag march in sive or anti national feel- for allegedly spread- Delhi Haat when a man the air quality index suburbs will remain shut sensitive areas to main- ings and it also should not ing rumours on the approached them and said (AQI) at 283 at 4 pm, down till November 11. The tain law, order, peace, and hurt anyone’s religious Supreme Court’s ver- that two persons snatched from Friday’s 330. Most of Environment Pollution harmony. sentiments. There should dict in the Ayodhya his mobile phone and ran the 37 air quality monitor- (Prevention and Control) Throughout the day, not be anything amount- land dispute case, away. While chasing them, ing stations in Delhi Authority also extended police commissioner Security personnel keep vigil outside Jama Masjid in ing to contempt of court. police said. the police team reached near recorded air quality in the the ban on hot-mix plants Amulya Patnaik, along Delhi on Saturday. — PTI Activities on social “One of them had Sarojini Nagar where one poor category. and stone-crushers till with other senior cops, media platforms will be called up the police on snatcher was nabbed while Government air quality November 11. kept in touch with his Necessary arrangements were in constant touch under observation and the its emergency num- another managed to flee monitoring agency The Delhi government force and he also personal- were made to ensure the with representatives of Delhi police advised that ber 100 to report a with the snatched mobile SAFAR said though the has imposed `90 lakh on ly examined the arrange- safety and security of reli- ‘Aman committees,’ which such platforms should be planned violence by a phone, said the DCP. The wind direction would be polluting industries and ments. As a precautionary gious places. comprises of respectable used with discretion and community but his accused has been handed favourable for fire plume those contributing to measure, Section 144 of Drone surveillance, people from different com- users should restrain claims were found over to local police of transport to the Delhi environmental degrada- the CrPC was also meeting with community munities. The police, from spreading any untrue,” SSP, Gautam Sarojini Nagar police station. region, the wind speed is tion in industrial estates, imposed in Delhi and pro- representatives, and area along with the members of disharmony, hatred, or Buddh Nagar, “expected to be on the an official said on hibitory orders have been patrolling were conducted Aman committee, carried enmity. Vaibhav Krishna, higher side for the next Saturday. Executive engi- issued to maintain public in several parts of the city out foot patrolling to sen- The security arrange- said. 1 arrested for firing three days, under the neer and junior engineer order. It is also been including areas of sitise the people about ments will continue for “The other is office- influence of a western of Narela Industrial Area reported that the police Northeast, Central, East, peace and harmony. the next couple of days, bearer of a local polit- over family dispute disturbance”. have been suspended for department has cancelled and Southeast Delhi. Security of all the five particularly on Eid-e- ical outfit and has a The System for Air dereliction of duties. the leave of its personnel. Senior police officials apex court judges was also Milad-un-Nabi on Sunday. history of making New Delhi: A 22-year-old comments and man has been arrested for remarks that incite allegedly opening fire and communal discord,” injuring a person in Dwarka’s he told PTI, adding Shahabad Muhammadpur vil- Divided opinion in JNU on SC ruling DU students protest that both of them lage, police said on Saturday. have been taken into Shiv and his associates BHASKAR HARI SHARMA “I am not satisfied with disputed site could have preventive custody. entered Sanskar’s home and New Delhi, Nov. 9 There were, how- what the top court has amicably solved this issue. The district police ever, many stu- high-rise on campus fired at him on November 2 decided. The judges could “I do not think either chief warned that because of a dispute with his An uneasy calm prevailed dents who felt that have taken a balanced Hindus or Muslims would New Delhi, Nov. 9: Delhi Corruption”. “anyone spreading uncle Vishal. During interro- in the Jawaharlal Nehru construction of approach while dealing have objected to any such University students on The protest was also rumours” which have gation, it was revealed Shiv’s University (JNU) campus both temple and with this sensitive mat- decision,” said a Master’s Saturday held a protest supported by the Delhi an adverse impact on elder sister was married to soon after the Supreme ter,” she said. student, requesting against the construction University administra- law and order “will be Vishal in 2016, but soon after Court pronounced its ver- mosque at the dis- “We welcome this histor- anonymity. “I do not want of a 39-storey building in tion, which has constitut- immediately arrest- the marriage, a marital dis- dict in the Ayodhya dis- puted site could ical verdict and request my name to be dragged the varsity’s North ed a special task force for ed”. cord took place and his sister pute. While some students have amicably fellow citizens to accept into any controversy. Campus, alleging that it the matter. In a unanimous ver- left her marital home. After refrained themselves from solved this issue this verdict with grace. Already, our university is will overlook six women’s “Land acquired for pub- dict, the court paved the incident, Shiv wanted to commenting on the ver- Now, as the path for the in news in connection hostels and invade their lic purpose cannot be the way for the con- teach Vishal a lesson. A dict, others had divided construction of the Lord with several controversial privacy. used for private profit struction of a Ram loaded country-made pistol opinions over the matter. already given its verdict?” Rama temple is clear, issues,” she added. The students have been under the law. The per- temple at the disputed was recovered from Shiv. An M.Phil student, with When asked what verdict India will move forward Late in the evening, a on an indefinite strike mission granted to the site at Ayodhya, and leanings towards the Left he was expecting from the by keeping people of all student from a particular against the construction private builder is illegal directed the Centre to

THE ANSWERS TO TODAY’S GUIDE TO FORTUNE parties, refused to com- Supreme Court, he said, the faiths together,” said community staged a solo of the building. Alleging and violates the statutory allot an alternative 5- of dawn of ment. “Sorry, I do not want to Saurabh Sharma, the protest inside the campus corruption in the process provisions of Master Plan acre plot to the Sunni

While having tea outside comment on this contro- ABVP leader in JNU. as he was aggrieved at the of granting permission to of Delhi, 2021,” said pro- Waqf Board for build- The piper at the gates the at piper The

■ his hostel canteen, he versial issue.” There were, however, verdict. A varsity official the builder to construct fessor Bipin Tiwari, a ing a new mosque at a

Sir Winston Churchill Winston Sir

■ said, “What’s the point in Another female student many students who felt said, the student is alone the building, the students political science teacher “prominent” place in

John Adams John ■ ■ talking about this matter too refused to comment on that construction of both and is not accompanied by burnt two effigies — “Mr and member of the task- the holy town. — PTI when the court has the apex court’s verdict. temple and mosque at the anyone as of now. Corruption” and “Mrs force. — PTI Sexual abuse PAGE A French former model and actress accuses Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski of raping World 14 her in a Swiss ski resort when she was a teenager THE ASIAN AGE SUNDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2019 | NEW DELHI FACEBOOK Germans mark 30 years of Berlin Wall’s collapse SORRY ABOUT BIAS AGAINST We have a duty to BLACK STAFF use all we have to San Francisco, Nov. 9: defend what was Facebook apologised on Friday after black so hard-won employees anonymously Pro-democracy lawmakers Leung Yiu-chung (third — Mike Pompeo shared feelings of work- left), Kwok Ka-ki (centre) and Gary Fan (third right) US secretary of state place bias in an online protest outside police headquarters against the post. arrest of their colleagues, holding a banner that The post shared at reads ‘defeat the evil law, fearless’ in Hong Kong on Medium by a “FB Blind” Saturday. — AP profile laid out perceived IN BRIEF slights by managers, white colleagues, and the human resources depart- Nawaz seeks nod ment. Pro-democracy “No one at Facebook, or anywhere, should to travel abroad have to put up with this Islamabad: The family of for- behavior,” corporate lawmakers held mer Pakistani prime minister communications vice Nawaz Sharif are trying to president Bertie get a travel ban against him Thomson said in lifted so that he can go response to an AFP after HK unrest abroad for medical treat- query. ment, one of his close aides “We are sorry. It goes Hong Kong, Nov. 9: Seven „ Police said three said. Sharif, Pakistan’s against everything that Hong Kong pro-democra- lawmakers were longest-serving premier, was we stand for as a compa- cy lawmakers were either detained on Saturday ousted from his third term in ny. We’re listening and detained or faced arrest People stuck flowers in remains of the Berlin Wall during a commemoration ceremony to celebrate the 30th and charged with office in 2017 and later working hard to do bet- anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall at the Wall memorial site at Bernauer Strasse in Berlin on Saturday. — AP on Saturday, a move that imprisoned on corruption ter.” could escalate public fury obstructing the local charges. But his health dete- Incidents described in a day after the death of a assembly during a riorated in prison. Last the Medium post includ- university student linked raucous May 11 month, he suffered a minor ed being targeted for to months of anti-govern- meeting over a now- heart attack, his party said, negative performance ment protests in the semi- shelved China extra- adding that he is suffering reviews or snide com- autonomous Chinese ter- dition bill that from an autoimmune blood ments. India rejects Pakistan’s ritory. sparked five months disorder. Sharif also suffers “On the inside, we are Protesters vented their from high blood pressure sad. Angry. Oppressed. anger over Chow Tsz- of protests and his kidney functions are Depressed,” the post Lok’s death and vowed summons to turn up at deteriorating. read. not to give up their resist- police stations Saturday “And treated every day Ayodhya ruling remark ance at a police-approved to face arrest. All seven ‘Iran enriching through the micro and prayer rally on Saturday are to appear in court macro aggressions as if VINEETA PANDEY ist ideology in India, night, with frequent Monday. we do not belong here.” KARTARPUR, NOV. 9 based on the belief of chants of “Hong Kong Pro-democracy law- 5% uranium’ The anonymous post VERDICT WON’T CAUSE TENSION Hindu supremacy and people, revenge” and makers slammed the gov- Tehran: Iran said on maintained that the India has reacted sharply exclusion, is a threat to “Free Hong Kong.” ernment clampdown as a Saturday that it was now atmosphere at Facebook to Pakistan’s statement on regional peace and stabili- The 22-year-old died on calculated move after enriching uranium to five has worsened in the past the Ayodhya verdict. IN BANGLADESH, ASSURES FM ty, “ Pakistan statement Friday, succumbing to Chow’s death to provoke percent, after a series of year when it came to “We reject the unwar- Dhaka: Bangladesh will that peace will prevail in said. injuries four days after more violence as an steps back from its commit- non-white workers being ranted and gratuitous study the Indian India also,” Momen told It addee that the Indian falling from a parking excuse to postpone or ments under a troubled 2015 recognized, empowered comments made by Supreme Court’s his- reporters on the side- government should garage when police fired cancel Nov. 24 district accord with major powers. and treated equitably. Pakistan on the judge- toric verdict in the lines of a sports event ensure the protection of tear gas during clashes elections — polls viewed The deal set a 3.67 percent “The problem is not ment of the Supreme Ayodhya case, Foreign here. He said Muslims lives, rights and with protesters. as a barometer of public limit for uranium enrichment just with black employ- Court of India on a civil Minister A.K. Abdul Bangladesh’s heritage of properties and avoid being Although the circum- sentiment amid the but Iran announced it would ees of different gen- matter that is completely Momen said on Saturday interfaith harmony “again a silent spectator of stance of his death is unrest. no longer respect it after ders,” the post read. internal to India. It per- and expressed confi- would help keep peace in Muslims becoming the unclear, many blame “We’ll say no to their Washington unilaterally “We are remaining tains to the rule of law dence that it won’t cause the country. victims of Hindu extrem- police who have been plans,” lawmaker Tanya abandoned the agreement anonymous because and equal respect for all any tension in his coun- “All of us — Muslims, ists and zealots.” accused of heavy-handed Chan told a news confer- last year and reimposed Facebook creates a hos- faiths, concepts that are try. Christians, Hindus and Pakistan has also asked tactics including wide- ence. “It is a de facto ref- crippling sanctions. "Based tile culture where not part of their ethos. So, “We won’t be in any (Buddhists) are living in international community, spread use of tear gas erendum for all Hong on our needs and what we anyone that is non-white while Pakistan’s lack of tension regarding this harmony,” he said about the United Nations and and pepper spray since Kong voters to cast their have been ordered, we are is made to feel fear comprehension is not sur- (Ayodhya land dispute Bangladesh, a Muslim- other human rights organ- the unrest began in June. vote and say no to police currently producing five per- for their job and their prising, their pathological verdict). We will expect majority nation. — PTI izations to restrain India Police said three law- brutality and say no to cent," Atomic Energy safety to report any bad compulsion to comment “ from its pursuit of an makers were detained on our unjust system.” Organisation of Iran behaviours.” — AFP on our internal affairs Pakistan on Saturday fear for their beliefs and extremist ideology and to Saturday and charged She said the district spokesman Behrouz with the obvious intent of said the decision of for their places of wor- ensure equal rights and with obstructing the local elections will also send a Kamalvandi said. „ The post shared at spreading hatred is con- Indian Supreme Court has ship. A process of re-writ- protection of the minori- assembly during a rau- crucial message to Medium by a ‘FB demnable” ministry of “failed to uphold the ing history is underway in ties in India.’ Earlier, Pak cous May 11 meeting over Beijing, accused by pro- external affairs demands of justice’. India in order to recast it Foreign Minister Shah a now-shelved China testers of interfering in Brazil celebrates Blind’ profile laid out spokesperson Raveesh “This decision has in the image of a ‘Hindu Mehmood Qureshi ques- extradition bill that the city’s freedoms and perceived slights by Kumar said on Saturday shredded the veneer of so- Rashtra’ in pursuance of tioned the timing of the sparked five months of rights promised when the Lula’s release managers, white col- minutes after Pakistan called secularism of India the Hindutva ideology. It Ayodhya verdict that came protests calling for demo- former British colony Brasilia: Brazil’s leftist former leagues, and the foreign ministry issued a by making clear that is also fast affecting on the same day when cratic reforms. returned to Chinese con- president Luiz Inacio Lula da human resources statement on the Ayodhya minorities in India are no India’s major institutions. Karatarpur Corridor was The others received trol in 1997. — AP Silva left prison after a judge department judgment. longer safe; they have to The rising tide of extrem- to be inaugurated. ordered his release, startling financial markets and reignit- ing both ends of the political spectrum with calls for BLOOMBERG TAKEAWAYS FROM TRUMP IMPEACHMENT demonstrations in coming FB deletes name days. As he walked out of „ A rough „ Text messages show that pressure was „ Sondland, testified to investiga- the jail that held him for 19 MAY BE IN U.S. transcript of exerted on Zelenskiy to make a public tors that Trump largely delegated months on a bribery convic- the call on statement committing himself to investi- Ukraine policy to Giuliani, who at tion, Lula raised a defiant fist of ‘whistleblower’ PREZ RACE July 25 gating Burisma before he would be the time was seeking to dig up dirt in the air to the cheers of a crowd of supporters from his Concord, Nov. 9: New between allowed to meet with Trump at the White on Biden, a leading candidate for San Francisco, Nov. 9: The lic figures in debate. The Workers Party who waved York business tycoon Trump and House, part of the “quid pro quo” — that is the 2020 Democratic presidential Facebook said on policy is not new. red flags and held “Free Michael Bloomberg has Zelenskiy at the heart of the impeachment inquiry. nomination. Saturday that it was delet- Facebook said it has been Lula” banners. His release is paved the way for a shot confirmed ing the name of the person applying it to the whistle- expected to further polarize at the US presidency, the whistle- „ Top US diplo- „ Trump’s acting chief of „ The former US ambassa- who has been identified in blower case and removing a country that elected far- registering as a candi- blower’s mat in Ukraine, staff, Mick Mulvaney, dor to Ukraine, Marie conservative circles as the the person’s name for a date in the Alabama whistleblower who trig- few days. right President Jair most dam- William Taylor, acknowledged that the aid to Yovanovitch, testified that Bolsonaro last year in a vote Democratic primary aging allega- gered a congressional On Twitter, though, the that Lula said was “robbed” race before deadline. said Trump made Ukraine was linked but later Trump had ousted her from impeachment inquiry into alleged whistleblower’s from his Workers Party, Although the 77-year- tion: that the release of US contradicted himself in a her position based on President Donald Trump’s name was circulating wide- which governed the country old billionaire has not Trump asked security aid to statement from the White “unfounded and false actions. ly on Friday. The company from 2002 to 2016. Investors publicly announced his Zelenskiy to Ukraine contin- House that ruled out a quid claims” after she had come The company said does not have a policy were jolted by the prospect run, his inclusion amo- investigate gent to Biden pro quo. under attack by Giuliani. Friday that mention of the against identifying whistle- of Lula returning to the ng a crowded field kept whether investigations potential whistleblower’s blowers by name and is not political stage. his options open for Biden. name violates Facebook’s removing the posts. mounting a concerted „ Trump has „ Volker, the former special envoy to Ukraine, testified that “coordinating harm poli- Some of the stories iden- bid to topple a fellow contended he had helped to connect Giuliani with a top aide to cy,” which prohibits mate- tifying the person came New Yorker, President that he did Ukraine’s president as the president’s personal lawyer con- rial that could identify a from the conservative OZ BUSHFIRES Donald Trump. not hold tinued to seek information damaging to the Bidens. “witness, informant, or news site Breitbart, which Analysts say a up the activist.” Facebook counts as one of Bloomberg candidacy Facebook said it wasre- its news partners in a DESTROY 150 $391 million „ Michael McKinley, a „ Trump’s former national security could do the most dam- adviser John Bolton said he will not moving mentions of the newly launched news sec- age to the prospects of in US mili- former adviser to alleged whistleblower’s tion on its app. However, HOMES, 2 DIE frontrunner Joe Biden, tary aid to Pompeo, testified that testify until a federal court decides name and would revisit the company said it was but the former vice-pres- pressure he quit a few days whether current and former admin- this decision if the name also removing identifying Melbourne, Nov. 9: Two peo- ident put on a brave face Zelenskiy. before his appearance istration officials like him must was widely published in posts on the whistleblower ple have died, five are missing and said he was not wor- before congressional cooperate with the investigation. the media or used by pub- from Breitbart. — AP and at least 150 homes have ried Bloomberg would committees because „ US national security. Army been destroyed as bushfires draw away centrist vot- of departmental lead- Lieutenant Colonel Alexander rage across eastern Australia, ers. ership’s unwillingness authorities said on Saturday. Bloomberg’s name was Vindman said he heard Sondland The New South Wales Rural posted among 17 candi- to defend Yovanovitch pressure Ukrainian officials to Wealth of world’s Fire Service (NSW RFS) con- dates on the Alabama from the attacks on investigate the Bidens in order to firmed two people had been Democratic Party’s web- her. get a coveted meeting with Trump killed by a fire near Glen site. — AFP richest people falls Innes. One body was discov- ered in a vehicle and a Zurich, Nov. 9: The this year. Some Hong woman died after being world’s richest people Kong tycoons have begun found suffering from burns. NEW | HIGH The plane is among the proud experiments Nasa has performed became a little less well moving personal wealth Five other people remain off last year, according to offshore, Reuters report- unaccounted with Prime Min- a report by UBS and PwC, ed in June, as concerns ister Scott Morrison saying he as geopolitical turmoil deepen over the protests. feared the number of deaths Nasa unveils first electric plane X-57 and volatile equity mar- “We haven’t seen any could rise. “These fires have kets reduced the wealth of significant outflows, we already claimed two lives and Edwards Air Force Base, Nasa also showed off a Armstrong before he billionaires for the first have been tracking some as we get access to further Nov. 9: Nasa, most promi- newly built simulator that joined the Apollo moon time since 2015. of these numbers on a areas that have been cut off nent for its many Florida- allows engineers, and team. The Maxwell will be Billionaires’ wealth fell regular basis,” said Amy we are expecting worse news launched exploits into pilots, to get the feel of the agency’s first crewed by 4.3% globally to $8.5 Lo, UBS co-head of Asia again,” Morrison said. space, showcased an early what it will be like to X-plane to be developed in trillion last year, the Pacific wealth manage- Reserve members of version of its first all-elec- manoeuvre the finished two decades. UBS/PwC report found, ment. “Our clients have Australia’s armed forces may tric experimental aircraft, version of the X-57 in While private companies with a sharp decline in been diversifying all be used to assist emergency the X-57 ‘Maxwell’, at its flight, even as the plane have been developing all- Greater China, including along, it’s not in the last services and support pay- lesser-known aeronautics remains under develop- electric planes and hover- Hong Kong, and the Asia- one year.” ments were being made avail- lab in the California ment. The Maxwell is the craft for years, Nasa’s X-57 Pacific region more Private banks including able for those directly affect- desert. latest in a proud line of venture is aimed at design- broadly. the world’s largest wealth ed by fires. This is one of Adapted from a Italian- experimental aircraft the ing and proving technolo- Private wealth in Hong manager UBS have felt Australia’s worst bushfire sea- made Tecnam P2006T Nasa has developed over gy according to standards Kong fell 4% in 2018 to the effects of US-China sons and it is occurring even twin-engine propeller many decades for many that commercial manufac- $319.8 billion, the report trade tensions and global before the start of the plane, the X-57 has been Edward Air Force Base. ered by specially designed purposes, including the turers can adapt for gov- showed, with months of political uncertainties, as Southern Hemisphere sum- under development since But after attaching the two lithium ion batteries — bullet-shaped Bell X-1 that ernment certification. anti-government protests clients shied away from mer, with parts of the country 2015 and remains at least a largest of 14 electric Nasa deemed the Maxwell first broke the sound bar- Those will include stan- in the Chinese-ruled city trading and taking on already crippled by severe year away from its first motors that will ultimate- ready for its first public rier and the X-15 rocket dards for airworthiness and an economic reces- debt in favour of hoard- drought. — Agencies test flight in the skies over ly propel the plane — pow- preview. plane flown by Neil and safety. — Reuters sion clouding the outlook ing cash. — Reuters Development PAGE Survey of 575-km long Katra-Delhi express road corridor Nation 15 completed, says Jitendra Singh THE ASIAN AGE SUNDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2019 | NEW DELHI Governor invites Fadnavis to form Pakistan should not interfere in govt in Maha Kashmir and stop Will vote against the BJP in case it ‘eyeing’ Punjab comes to the floor test: Cong, NCP — Amarinder Singh AGE CORRESPONDENT MUMBAI, NOV. 9 Punjab chief minister We welcomes Amid the tussle over chief ministership between the gov’s decision, IN BRIEF Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party, says Shiv Sena Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari AGE CORRESPONDENT SUV of Maha CM’s on Saturday invited the with agency inputs latter, the single-largest MUMBAI, NOV. 9 aid stolen in Nagpur party to stake claim to Nagpur: The SUV of the form the new govern- Shiv Sena leader Sanjay head of a state-run corpora- ment. Raut said on Saturday tion and a close aide of Speaking with this that Maharashtra Maharashtra chief minister newspaper, senior BJP Governor Bhagat Singh Devendra Fadnavis was leader Sudhir Koshyari’s decision to ask stolen on Saturday in Laxmi Mungantiwar said, “A the BJP to indicate its Nagar area of Nagpur in Prime Minister Narendra Modi eats langar after inaugurating the passenger terminal building of the Kartarpur corridor on the Indian side, also decision will be taken in a willingness to form gov- Maharashtra. The theft of known as Integrated Check Post, in Gurdaspur on Saturday. — PTI meeting of the party’s ernment was a welcome Maharashtra state mining core committee on step. The decision follows corporation chairman Sandip Sunday.” laid-down procedure and Joshi’s Toyota Innova Crysta The communication the Shiv Sena welcomes car took place in the morn- from the governor’s office it, Raut said. ing from outside his house, said, “The governor of “At least the governor an official said. “Mr Joshi PM opens Kartarpur corridor Maharashtra Shri Bhagat has begun the process of gave the keys of the vehicle Singh Koshyari today exploring for government for washing to a man who asked the leader of elect- formation. The BJP is the came there claiming he had ed members of the single single largest party and been sent by the regular car Modi flags off first ‘jatha’ of pilgrims, Manmohan Singh among visitors largest party, the the rightful claimant to cleaner. He soon vanished Bharatiya Janata Party, form government first,” with the car,” he said. The Dera Baba Nanak, Nov. 9: wara Parbandhak Com- Shri Devendra Fadnavis Mr Raut said. regular car cleaner Mangesh Prime Minister Narendra ■ THE state-of- mittee members and all PAKISTAN USES OPPORTUNITY to indicate the willing- Earlier, the Shiv Sena told Mr Joshi he had not sent Modi on Saturday inaugu- the-art passenger the 117 MLAs and MPs ness and ability of his Saturday appealed that anyone for the work. rated the Kartarpur corri- from Punjab were also TO RAKE UP KASHMIR ISSUE party to form the govern- the government be dor, flagging off the first terminal has been part of the 'jatha' (delega- ment in Maharashtra.” formed at the earliest in batch of over 500 Indian constructed on 15 tion). VINEETA PANDEY While the Shiv Sena has the state, and said that the 5 held for duping pilgrims here, including acres of land Before dedicating the KARTARPUR, NOV. 9 still not committed its BJP was not staking claim former prime minister corridor to the nation, support to the BJP, to form the government man in Odisha Manm-ohan Singh and ■ THE FULLY Modi partook langar (com- Pakistan Prime Minister Congress and NCP said apparently due to lack of union minister Harsimrat air-conditioned munity kitchen) along Imran Khan and his for- that they will vote against numbers. Bhubaneswar: The cyber Kaur Badal. The corridor with Punjab Governor V P eign minister Shah the BJP in case it comes The Sena said, “In Goa wing of Odisha police on links Gurdwara Darbar building, akin to an Singh Badnore, Ama- Mahmood Qureshi on to the floor test. and Manipur, the BJP Saturday arrested five peo- Sahib in Pakistan, the airport, has over 50 rinder Singh and state Saturday used the “The NCP will think of shoved away the single ple for allegedly duping a final resting place of immigration coun- Congress president Sunil Kartarpur Corridor open- an alternative if the Shiv largest parties and person on pretext of Sikhism founder Guru ters for facilitating Jakhar. Modi, who donned ing as an opportunity to Sena votes against the formed governments.” installing a mobile tower on Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba a saffron coloured turban raise the issue of BJP on the floor of the his land, police said. The Nanak shrine in this about 5,000 pil- was shown a model of the Kashmir. House and the govern- the single largest party, accused were arrested from Punjab district. grims a day Kartarpur corridor. Mr Khan said that India Imran Khan ment collapses,” NCP only if it has staked claim Salt Lake, on the eastern Modi flagged off the first At the time of flagging and Pakistan need to sit spokesperson Nawab to form the government. fringes of Kolkata in West batch of pilgrims led by off the jatha, Modi met and resolve the issue to inaugurated on the Indian Malik said. To my knowledge, the Bengal. The victim used to Akal Takhat Jathedar km-long corridor. Manmohan Singh, who make a new beginning side by PM Modi. NCP’s state president BJP has not made any get calls from the accused Giani Harpreet Singh to India had signed an was accompanied by his just the way Karatarpur “Today what has hap- Jayant Patil said that the such claim and therefore impersonating as employees Gurdwara Darbar Sahib agreement with the neigh- wife Gursharan Kaur. Corridor dream of the pened is that our relation- governor should invite inviting the party to form of a telecom operator and through the corridor, bouring nation on October The state-of-the-art pas- Sikh community has been ship (India and Pakistan) NCP-Congress alliance to the government is not per was lured by the promise of which was thrown open 24 on the modalities for senger terminal building, fulfilled. However, no one has come to a halt. If form the government if the rules,” Mr Chavan good returns for installation days ahead of the 550th operationalisation of the with a design inspired by from the Indian side Narendra Modi is listen- the BJP fails, since the said. of a mobile tower on his birth anniversary of Guru corridor at ‘Zero Point’ of ‘Khanda’, a symbol of talked anything contro- ing to me then he should alliance is the second- Mr Fadnavis on Friday land, Rourkela SP K. Siba Nanak Dev on November the international bound- faith in Sikh community, versial or mentioned understand justice brings largest block of the pre- had resigned as the chief Subramani said here. 12. The Prime Minister ary at Dera Baba Nanak. has been constructed on 15 Kashmir. In fact, Navjot peace. Give justice to poll alliance. minister, blaming the inaugurated the passenger The first batch of pil- acres of land. Singh Sidhu and Giani Kashmir. If borders are On the other hand, Sena for rebuffing all terminal building of the grims included Punjab The fully air-conditioned Harmeet Singh, head of opened then think of Congress leader and for- attempts to form an Youth can take India corridor on the Indian Chief Minister Ama- building, akin to an air- the Indian jatha were the progress and peace it will mer chief minister alliance government. The side, also known as the rinder Singh, former chief port, has over 50 immigra- only two who spoke at the bring. Leaders unite peo- Prithviraj Chavan alleged governor had asked Mr to pinnacle: Speaker Integrated Check Post, minister Parkash Singh tion counters for facilitat- event. ple. They do not spread that it was wrong on the Fadnavis to act as care- where pilgrims will get Badal, Sukhbir Singh ing about 5,000 pilgrims a The Indian delegation, hatred. Those who spread governor’s part to invite taker chief minister until Bhubaneswar: Lok Sabha clearance to travel thr- Badal and Navjot Singh day. had travelled through the hatred for votes are not BJP. “As per the rules, the an alternate arrangement Speaker Om Birla on ough the newly-built 4.5 Sidhu. Shiromani Gurd- — PTI Karatarpur Corridor leaders,” said Mr Khan. governor should invite is made. Saturday said that India enjoys a huge demographic advantage over other ■ nations and this would lead Many believe former cricketer Sidhu was man behind Kartarpur Corridor the country to new heights. Congress rally in “India enjoys demographic dividend and our young pop- ulation is capable of taking the country to new heights,” Delhi postponed Sikhs across world excited on opening Mr Birla told the graduating students at the 15th annual AGE CORRESPONDENT The decision was VINEETA PANDEY us. We are very happy to Bharat Bhushan Ashu, convocation of Kalinga NEW DELHI, NOV. 9 taken at a meeting of KARTARPUR, NOV. 9 be here. The Corridor will MLA from India’s Punjab, Institute of Industrial the Congress working make it easier,” said who came through the Technology (KIIT) deemed The Congress Party on committee, which was Sikh community from all Manjeet Singh from Kartarpur Corridor as to be University, Saturday postponed its held on Saturday morn- over the world is excited Haryana. part of jatha, said that Bhubaneswar. Bachelors, rally, on the economic ing to decide the party about the opening of the However, many feel that there is always a possibil- masters and PhD. degrees slowdown scheduled for strategy on the Ayodhya Kartarpur Corridor. Kartarpur Corridor is ity of misuse by certain were awarded to 6578 stu- December 1, citing the issue Many Indian Sikhs have only one part of the over- elements and the govern- dents of 2018 – 19 graduat- increased security meas- come to Pakistan through all pilgrimage. For ment has to be on toes. ing batch at the annual con- ures in view of the the Attari-Wagah cross- Nankana Saheb and other His concerns are reason- vocation, which was also Ayodhya verdict. rally at Ramlila Maidan ing to take part in the gurudwaras, they still able given the fact that graced by Odisha Assembly Sources said that a new when the winter session 550th birth anniversary have to come through one of the pilgrims — Speaker Dr Surjya Narayana date would be announced of the Parliament would celebrations of Guru Wagah route as people Jaygpreet from Sangroor Patro and Bhubaneswar Lok shortly. The decision was be on. The party had also Nanak Devji. coming through corridor — turned into Sikh mili- Sabha member Aparajita taken at a meeting of the roped in other Opposition Kartarpur is Guru cannot enter Pakistan in tant, famously known as Sarangi. Congress working com- parties. Nanak Dev’s final resting any other way or travel to Jarnail Singh mittee, which was held on Congress leaders, along place while Nanakana Nankana Saheb. Bhinderewala, as a young Saturday morning to with the representatives Saheb is his birthplace. In People were thankful to leader. decide the party strategy of 12 opposition parties, the absence of place Pakistan’s Prime However, the majority of on the Ayodhya issue. had a meeting on available to stay in Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan with Congress leader Minister Imran Khan for the pilgrims felt that the BULBUL CYCLONE: Corridor would help con- The Supreme Court November 4 at the Kartarpur, the pilgrims Navjot Singh Sidhu in Kartarpur on Saturday. creating such an infra- directed the Centre to Constitution Club where are staying in Nankana structure. They also nect people and promote HEAVY RAINFALL make necessary arrange- they discussed the issue Saheb. “I had come here earlier iting Nankana Sahib and believe that the former brotherhood. ments for the construc- of economic slowdown Many of the pilgrims, too, but today I can see a Karatarpur. Indian cricketer Navjot Interestingly, the opening LASHES ODISHA tion of a Temple at the and distress in the farm who have come to the big change. 7 years back, Similar groups have Singh Sidhu was the man day of the corridor saw a disputed site by forming a sector and agreed to stage Kartarpur Gurdwara in it was just the gurudwara come from United behind the Kartarpur unique combination of Bhubaneswar: As cyclone trust and to give five acres a united protest. the past, find a complete in middle of paddy fields Kingdom, New Zealand, Corridor, which became multi-faith people under Bulbul on Saturday slowly of suitable land to Sunni Congress has also been transformation of the with frogs jumping all Germany, Canada, Italy, possible due to his rela- one roof at Karatarpur — moved towards the Odisha Waqf Board for a mosque holding block level and area. Initially, there was around. This place is Malaysia, United States tionship with Imran Sikh pilgrims, Hindu coast, several coastal dis- at an alternate location in district level protests no complex, but the gurd- completely transformed,” and India. Khan. devotees, Christian diplo- tricts in the state experi- Ayodhya. across the country on the wara now stands in said 70-year-old Most of them have come However, amid euphoria mats, and Muslim assis- enced heavy rainfall and Congress had decided to economic slowdown and between a massive com- Raghubeer Kaur from in big groups. In fact, one is also a tension. tants along with manage- gusty winds reaching up to keep up the pressure on the agrarian distress plex that has dormitories Australia. She is a part of group from UK consists of Politicians from Punjab ment staff. “Faith 110 km per hour. The rains the government on the from November 5, which and medical rooms as the group of 80 Indian 300 people. have apprehension to the unites”, said one of the began from Friday midnight economic front and had would continue till well. Australians, who are vis- “It’s a great moment for security. pilgrims from Germany. and continued in coastal decided to hold a massive November 15. areas on Saturday. Heavy rains accompanied by gusty winds left a trail of destruc- Sonia Gandhi thanks SPG for tion at Paradip, Dhamdra Hitesh Dev Sarma becomes new coordinator of NRC and coastal parts of Odisha. As per reports, standing service, terms it ‘outstanding’ MANOJ ANAND the former NRC coordina- The former National paddy crops in several GUWAHATI, NOV. 09 The decision came in tor by Assam police follow- Register of Citizens coor- hectares of agricultural land New Delhi, Nov. 9: was withdrawn on Friday, the backdrop of two ing complaints of wrong- dinator had courted sever- were damaged. Several Congress president Sonia 28 years after the elite After the transfer of cases registered against ful exclusions in the citi- al controversies ever since roads in Paradip and Gandhi termed the force’s continuous National Register of the former NRC coordi- zens’ list published on the exclusion of 40 lakh Dhamdra were blocked due Special Protection Group deployment, and it was Citizens (NRC) coordina- nator by Assam police August 31. people from the draft list. to uprooting of trees. (SPG) an “outstanding” replaced by the ‘Z-plus’ tor Prateek Hajela to following complaints of A native of Madhya His report to the Supreme wrongful exclusions in Paradip Port authorities sus- force, and thanked it on security of the CRPF. Madhya Pradesh, Assam Hitesh Dev Sarma Pradesh, Mr Hajela is a Court, suggesting that pended operations partially Saturday for protecting “Ever since our security government on Saturday the citizens’ list 1995-batch IAS officer of those now seeking inclu- from Friday midnight till her and her family with was put in the hands of appointed Hitesh Dev the Assam-Meghalaya sion into the list be Saturday noon because of dedication for 28 years. In the SPG, my family and I Sarma, a 1986-batch Mr Sarma had earlier the department of finance cadre with B.Tech in allowed to submit only 10 heavy rains and strong a letter to SPG director have felt a great sense of Assam Civil Service (ACS) worked in the NRC direc- and urban development, Electronics from Indian out of the original 15 “list winds. Special relief commis- Arun Kumar Sinha, Ms reassurance and confi- officer, as the new coordi- torate. He was also government of Assam. Institute of Technology, A” documents, had also sioner (SRC) Pradeep Jena Gandhi expressed her dence that we are in the nator. involved in the initial The next process of issu- Delhi. Before the NRC earned the wrath of sever- claimed that Dhamra in deep appreciation and best possible hands. He will be taking over works of NRC, which ing rejection letters to posting, he had held the al civil society organisa- Odisha’s Bhadrak district gratitude to the force for Every day, for the last 28 the office on Monday. The started in 2013. those left out of final NRC position of mission direc- tions. recorded a wind speed of 110 protecting her and her years, we have experi- Supreme Court had earli- Later, he moved out of is expected to start during tor, national rural health The final NRC, which Kmph. Over 2000 people in family with “dedication, enced the unfailing high er ordered the transfer of NRC directorate in 2016. the month. mission; commissioner was published on August different parts of discretion and personal professionalism, dedica- NRC coordinator Prateek The NRC coordinator is The Supreme Court and secretary, health and 31, found a total of 3, 11, Jagatsinghpur and Balasore care”. The elite SPG secu- tion to duty and sincerity Hajela following which the commissioner level Bench had transferred Mr family welfare. A total of 21,004 persons eligible for districts were evacuated to rity cover given to Sonia with which the SPG pro- Assam government had post. Hajela. The decision came 3,30,27,661 people had inclusion in the registry safer places as a precaution- Gandhi, her son Rahul tect us,” she said in her started a hunt to select the Mr Sarma is currently in the backdrop of two applied to be included in leaving out 19, 06,657 per- ary measure by Odisha. and daughter Priyanka letter. — PTI new NRC coordinator. posted as a secretary in cases registered against the NRC. sons. Support for BCCI PAGE The BCCI has got a shot in the arm after England Board chairman Colin Graves intimated ICC that they will not support the global Sport 16 body’s bid to have a flagship event every year from 2023 to 2031 THE ASIAN AGE SUNDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2019 | NEW DELHI

NAGPUR TRACK RECORD

Played 3 Series on the line India won Lost There is a hint of 1 2 MS Dhoni in his ■ captaincy. He uses India and Target India’s HIGHEST INNINGS Bangladesh TOTALS part-time bowlers bowling, says 215-5 in 20 overs Sri like Dhoni. face off in Lanka vs India in — Irfan Pathan on Bangladesh Bangla coach 2009 skipper Mahmudullah Riyad T20 decider Nagpur, Nov. 9: 186-9 in 20 overs today Bangladesh coach Russell India vs Sri Lanka Domingo on Saturday in 2009 Nagpur, Nov. 9: India will said his team will be tar- SHORT TAKES be eyeing their first T20 geting a rather inexperi- International series win enced Indian bowling LOWEST INNINGS BCCI AGM to be at home this season when attack to upstage the TOTALS they take on Bangladesh hosts in the T20 series held on Dec. 1 in the decisive third game decider here on Sunday. 79 in 18.1 overs India here on Sunday, with the The Indian team is with- vs New Zealand in New Delhi: The BCCI will have hope that their fringe out the services of 2016 its first Annual General Meeting players contribute signifi- injured pace spearhead (AGM) in three years under cantly to a victory. Jasprit Bumrah, seamer 116-6 in 20 overs Sourav Ganguly’s leadership in In the absence of some Bhuvneswar Kumar and Hong Kong vs Mumbai on December 1 where senior players, including Hardik Pandya with Afghanistan in 2016 the old guard of the BCCI skipper Virat Kohli, Khaleel Ahmed, Deepak would like to revisit the amend- India’s primary objective Chahar and W. Sundar ed constitution as per Supreme of the T20 series was to shouldering the bowling HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL Court’s August 9, 2018 order. identify the core of play- responsibilities in the SCORES Since it’s the prerogative of an ers for the T20 World Cup three-match series. elected body to call an AGM, next year. Not much was “It’s no secret that they 78 Kumar the BCCI had to wait for the achieved on that front in got reasonably an inexpe- Sangakkara (Sri newly-elected set-up under the first two games bar- rienced bowling attack. If Lanka) vs India in Ganguly to take charge at a ring the successful come- we bat well, stick to our General Body meeting in back of leggie Yuzvendra strategies we can put 2009 Mumbai on October 23. “We Chahal, who once again (From left) India bowling coach Bharat Arun, captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Ravi Shastri are in an animated their bowling attack 71 Lokesh Rahul have received a circular from proved his wicket-taking discussion during a training session in Nagpur on Saturday. — AP under pressure,” said (India) vs England in the BCCI that the AGM will be ability in the middle Domingo. held on December 1 in overs. preferred to chinaman team in Delhi and Rajkot, ponder over their team “So look, they are good 2017 Mumbai,” an office-bearer of a After Chahal and Co. Kuldeep Yadav, has kept leaving the likes of composition, especially in side but we do think that prominent state unit said on restricted Bangladesh to things tight but has not LIVE on TV Manish Pandey, Sanju the batting department if we bat up potentially, BEST BOWLING conditions of anonymity. 153 for six in Rajkot, skip- been as threatening as India vs Bangladesh Samson and Rahul where they lack the fire- we can put their bowling PERFORMANCE Among the points that the per Rohit Sharma blew Chahal. Pacer Khaleel Chahar to warm the power in comparison to attack under pressure.” 3rd T20 4-11 Mitchell members would like to revisit the opposition away with Ahmed leaked runs in on Star Sports 1, HD bench. teams like Australia and Team batting second are age-cap of 70 years, cool- a sublime 85 to level the both the games, increas- If not in Nagpur, they England. ended up as the winner in Santner (NZ) vs ing off period of three years series 1-1. Washington ing the possibility of could get an opportunity Shreyas Iyer has looked both the games, making India in 2016 after a period of six years along Sundar, Shardul Thakur partner- FROM 7 PM in the following home impressive in the limited toss all the more crucial. with curtailing powers of the who has ing Deepak Chahar on series against the West time he has spent in the “I think dew has affected 4-20 Mohammed executives including the Chief been Sunday. while, is yet to pick up a Indies next month. Even middle while K L Rahul is (the games). Toss has Nabi (Afg) vs HK in Executive Officer. However for Krunal Pandya, who has wicket though he has not when the senior players yet to make an impact, played a role, both teams 2016 any amendment in the regis- been a regular in the had much to do with the return after this series, just like rookie all-round- batting second have come tered constitution as per Indian T20 squad for a bat. Rohit fielded the same India will have plenty to er Shivam Dube. — PTI around top.” — PTI STATS: S.PERVEZ QAISER Supreme Court judge- ment on August 9, 2018, the BCCI will have to appeal to the Apex court for the particular change. Please leave Pant alone: Rohit “Obviously the old guard of BCCI wants to come back in Nagpur, Nov. 9: Stand- glovework in the second request everyone to keep ahead of him in the three power. Therefore all the princi- in India captain Rohit T20 against Bangladesh in their eyes away from Tests against South Africa pal points of Lodha Reforms Sharma on Saturday Rajkot. Rishabh Pant for a while,” at home last month only will be reviewed,” said a mem- strongly backed an He botched up a stump- skipper Rohit said. on the basis of superior ber of the state association. under-fire Rishabh ing of Liton Das with the “He is a fearless crick- glovework. — PTI Pant, urging critics to third umpire ruling that eter and we (team manage- “He is a young guy, 22, “leave him alone” as he his hands were slightly in ment) want him to have trying to make his mark in Barty crush Garcia is only trying to exe- front of the stumps, when that freedom. And if you international cricket. cute the team man- he dislodged the bails. guys take your eyes off Every move he makes on agement’s strategy. “You know there is a lot of him for sometime, it will the field, people start talk- to level Fed final Pant, whose shot talk happening about allow him to perform even ing about him. It is not Perth: Ashleigh Barty played selection has come Rishabh Pant every day, better,” added Rohit. fair. I think we should the “best match of her life” to under the scanner on every minute. I just feel Not so long ago, Pant was allow him to play his crush Caroline Garcia 6-0, 6-0 several occasions, became that he needs to be allowed the preferred choice in all cricket which actually he and haul Australia back into the centre of unwanted to do what he wants to do three formats but also wants to do,” Rohit Bangladesh players during a training session at Nagpur. contention at the Fed Cup final attention due to his poor on the field. I would Wriddhiman Saha played said. — PTI — AP Saturday after France’s Kristina Rishabh Pant Mladenovic whipped Ajla Tomljanovic. The world number one, fresh from winning the WTA Finals in China, came on BOXING OLYMPIC QUALIFIER court in Perth under pressure after the nervous Tomljanovic Tejaswini seals India’s 12th Olympic quota was thrashed 6-1, 6-1. But in searing 38 Celsius (100 Doha, Nov. 9: Veteran an individual medal, she Fahrenheit) heat she kept her Tejaswini Sawant secured combined with Kajal Saini No trials, coach cool to embarrass a stunned India’s 12th Olympic and Gaayathri Garcia in a rare double bagel, quota in shooting but Nithyanadam to bag the with the Frenchwoman having missed out on a medal in team bronze. no answers to the Barty the women’s 50m rifle 3 Sawant was third after for consistency armoury in front of 13,000 fans. positions event in the 14th the second series but fell It left the tie evenly poised at 1- Asian Championship here behind in the later GANDHARV KAMALA 1 ahead of Sunday’s reverse sin- on Saturday. attempts, finishing with HYDERABAD, NOV. 9 gles and a doubles clash if Provided she is picked in an 8.8. Sawant, who also needed, with Australia target- the final shooting squad competes in the 50m rifle The Boxing Federation of ing an eighth title and first in for next year’s Tokyo prone, has won many India may be lining up a 45 years, while France are seek- Games, it will be her medals, including gold at trial bout between Mary ing a third, their first since maiden Olympic appear- the World Championship, Kom and Nikhat Zareen to 2003. “This is remarkable, I ance, having missed the World Cup and the settle the high-profile couldn’t have asked for a more bus in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Commonwealth Games. selection dispute but it perfect match. I think that’s the The former world cham- In 2010, she became the may not be all about them. best tennis match I’ve ever pion bagged the quota for world champion in the There are two more boxers played in my life,” said Barty. next year’s Tokyo Games 50m rifle prone event in in fray who will vie to win “I felt like I served really well, by virtue of making the Munich with a world- the four-woman contest to made a lot of returns. Most finals of the 50m rifle 3 record equalling score. be held on December 29 importantly I played the big positions event in the She was the first Indian and 30 in New Delhi and points well. I really wanted to championship. Tejaswini Sawant woman shooter to win a make it to the first assert myself and I was able to Out of the eight finalists, cations across the three nine medals in all compe- woman final. It also gold medal at the Worlds. Olympics qualifying event Mary Kom do that really well today.” six of them were ineligi- positions of titions through the day helped secure a quota China’s Mengyao Shi in China. The French Open champion, ble for various reasons, kneeling,prone and stand- including three more gold. place as six other finalists won the gold medal with The much debated trials boxer have a single-minded capping a breakthrough season, giving India one of the ing. However, in the finals, Sawant’s score was way had either booked their 457.9, while the silver in the women’s 51kg cate- dedication towards train- was imperious, firing down pin- three available quotas in Sawant fought well but above her previous best individual quotas or their went to Yesugen Oyunbat gory will have Mary Kom ing or would she/he be point first serves and effortless- the event. had to be satisfied with a score in qualification in respective National of Mongolia (457.0). The pitted against three boxers worried about trials? And ly pushing Garcia around the The 39-year-old from fourth-place finish. the new longer format Olympic Committees bronze and the second — gold and silver medal- what happens if the boxer court, forcing errors. She set Maharashtra’s Kolhapur The seasoned Indian introduced only in this (NOC) had already available quota was won lists from the senior is injured during trials? the tone by breaking Garcia’s reached the final at fifth shot 435.8 in the finals at current Olympic cycle, exhausted their limit of by Japan's Shiori Hirata nationals, and another You lose your best boxer in first service game. — AFP position after shooting the Lusail Shooting helping her finish fifth two quotas per event. (445.9). pugilist picked by coaches that weight category to an 1171 in the 12-shot qualifi- Range. India also won and ease into the eight- Though she could not win — PTI based on her performance injury. What next? You at the national camp and send the second or the boxing league. Currently, third best but not the best Mary is No.1, Nikhat sec- boxer in that weight! So I ond, Vanlal Duati third and think we should do away SATWIK-CHIRAG GO DOWN TO a fourth one would be with the selection trials WORLD NO.1 PAIR IN SEMIS Chelsea’s sixth win on the spin named by the coaches. The and reward the consistent semifinals will see No.1 vs performer at international Fuzhou, Nov. 9: The Super 500 title at the London, Nov. 9: No.4 and No.2 vs No.3, events,” the Argentine Indian men’s doubles pair Thailand Open in August Chelsea secured a Weakened City offer Liverpool which means Mary and explained. of Satwiksairaj before reaching the finals sixth straight Premier Nikhat can only clash for “In August, 2019 both Rankireddy and Chirag at the French Open Super League win to move up chance to increase EPL lead the coveted Olympic Rafael Bergamasco (for- Shetty’s impressive run 750, played their hearts to second as the in- Qualifier spot if they make eign coach of the women’s came to an end after they out during the 40-minute form Tammy Abraham Liverpool, Nov. 9: to new heights under the final at the Trials. team) and myself suggest- lost to three-time defend- final but it was not and Christian Pulisic Liverpool have lived Pep Guardiola has BFI’s High Performance ed a road map for 2020 ing champions Marcus enough in the end. This struck to beat Crystal through many false kept Liverpool wait- Director Santiago Nieva Olympics. We proposed Fernaldi Gideon and was Satwik and Chirag’s Palace 2-0. dawns in the 29 years ing. preferred consistency over that gold and silver medal- Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo third loss this year Abraham ended since last lifting a Despite posting the trials though. “I don’t lists in the women’s and a of Indonesia in the semi- against the world number Palace’s dogged defen- league title, but the third highest points believe in selection trials. medallist in the men’s cate- final of $ 700,000 China 1 pair. sive resistence with a class of 2019/20 have tally in English top It’s a mere waste of time gories at the Worlds will Open here on Saturday. The Indian duo opened simple finish from the chance to prove flight history last sea- and energy to be honest. If get a direct entry for the The world number 9 up a 7-4 lead early on but Willian’s deft through they are the real deal son with 97, Liverpool boxers want to train in first Olympics qualifiers in Indian pair lost 16-21 20-22 they lacked the angles in ball seven minutes into when champions lost out by a solitary India or overseas they will China. So, world medallists to the top seeds and world their attack as their oppo- the second half before Manchester City visit point as City backed not be able to give their 100 Amit Panghal (52kg) and number one Marcus and nents managed to enter Pulisic headed home a Anfield on Sunday. up their 100-point cam- per cent either in the gym Manish Kaushik (63kg) Kevin to bow out of the the break with a 11-9 lead loose ball 11 minutes City’s relentless paign with 98 to retain or in the ring. The constant will not have to attend tri- BWF World Tour Super after Satwik faltered with from time to seal all hunger to push the bar the title. — AFP burden of having to prove als,” he said. 750 tournament here. his return. Kevin was three points. themselves at a trial and “A spot in the rest of the This was the eighth suc- simply brilliant near the Chelsea edge a point A 4-4 draw with Ajax Blues free flowing foot- not in the ring, adds pres- six men’s categories (57kg, cessive loss for Satwik net as the Indonesian duo clear of Manchester on Tuesday took the ball under Frank sure,” Santiago told this 69kg, 75kg, 81kg, 91kg, and Chirag against the quickly jumped to 14-9. City and to within five tally of goals Chelsea’s Lampard was met with newspaper from Goa. +91kg) and all the weight Indonesian pair. The Indonesian pair of leaders Liverpool, prior 18 games this a brick wall of a Palace “Let’s say there is a major categories in women’s Satwik and Chirag, who dominated the fast-paced who host City in a season to 70 at an aver- defence for the first 45 Crystal Palace’s defender James Tomkins tournament in a month’s (51kg, 60kg, 64kg, 69kg, and had won their maiden rallies. — PTI highly-anticipated age of nearly four per minutes. (left) vies with Chelsea’s striker Tammy time and a boxer is prepar- 75kg) are up for grabs,” clash on Sunday. game. However, the — AFP Abraham — AFP ing for the same. Will the Santiago informed.