Will Babri Masjid dispute end today?

The Babri Masjid- Ram Janmabhumi Disputes has proven to be sources of religious and political conflicts.

The dispute is between the Hindus and the Muslim for a very long time. The Hindu organisation claim that the temple was built after demolishing a temple whereas, the Muslims claim that the mosque was never built after the demolition.

On Wednesday, India’s Chief Justice Rajan Gogoi asked the parties in the Ayodhya land dispute case to present their concluding arguments today by 5pm (local time).

As reported by Hindustan Times, the Chief Justice Gogoi said,

“Enough is enough,” by 5pm, this matter is going to be over.”

The top judge is heading the five-judge constitution bench hearing the decades-long case, to decide whether a Hindu temple should be built on the ruins of a mosque. Wednesday marks the 40th day since the hearing began.

History of the Babri Mosque dispute

In 1526, when Babar came to India at the request of Indian Governor to defeat Ibrahim Lodhi. One of his general during the conquest of northeast India visited Ayodhya where he built the mosque and named it Babri-Masjid to give tribute to the Babar.

When did the dispute begin?

The dispute was started since the 16th century, but the actual problem began when Hindu mobs attacked and demolished the mosque in 1992. It killed nearly 2,000 people.

As per Hindus belief, the mosque was constructed after demolishing a temple by Muslim invaders. On the other hand, Muslims deny the statement. According to Muslims, the dispute began in December 1949, when some Hindus placed an idol of one of their gods Ram in the mosque and started worshiping it.

Over the decades since, the two religious groups have gone to court many times over who should control the site. Since then, there have been calls to build a temple on the spot where the mosque, known as the Babri Masjid, once stood.

What are people doing to end this dispute?

For more than a century, this complicated property disputes has been dragged in various courts to resolve the matter.

This particular case is being fought between three main parties – two Hindu groups and the Muslim Waqf Board, which is responsible for the maintenance of Islamic properties in India.

Currently, the case is being heard by five judges in the top court, to determine who the land in question belongs to.

What are the other important legal developments?

The Supreme Court in 1994, which was ruling on a related case, remarked that the concept of a mosque was “not integral to Islam”. This has bolstered the case made by Hindus who want control of the entire site.

But in April 2018, senior lawyer Rajeev Dhavan filed a plea before the top court, asking judges to reconsider this observation, which a few months later the Supreme Court declined to do so.