DNA Edit: Time of reckoning - The govt has signalled its intent in the Ayodhya case

The government has done well in moving the Supreme Court seeking the return of 67-odd acres at Ayodhya, minus the 0.313-acre disputed area, to the original owners, more than 26 years after the land was taken over to maintain communal harmony after the demolition of the Babri Masjid.

By doing so, it has signalled its intent, and more importantly, commitment, to the construction of a Ram Temple at the spot. Taking most stakeholders by surprise, the government has invoked its powers under a 1994 judgment, which left return of the non-disputed land to the original owners, at the discretion of the Centre.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that his government will await the judicial pronouncement on the disputed Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site, the sudden decision to approach the apex court is a clear signal that the government is keen on the Ram Temple. If the apex court concurs, it would mean that the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas (RJN) will receive its 42 acres out of the 67.703 acres of land acquired under the Acquisition of Certain Area of the Ayodhya Act, 1993. 

Looked at another way, the government has no option but to assuage its Ram Mandir constituency, which has been restive for some time. With leading lights of the Sangh Parivar and the RSS demanding the construction of the temple and the elections a few months away now, the Modi government has been compelled to show its hand.

Since the Supreme Court cannot be compelled to pronounce its verdict in a hurry, the government has little choice but to demonstrate that it is willing to go ahead with temple construction, provided all parties concerned are equally inclined.

However, the plea before the apex court is undoubtedly going to be challenged by other stakeholders, notably the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB). This body says that there have been three stays on the entire 67.703 acre land: One by the Allahabad High Court and two by the Supreme Court and all of them categorically state that till a decision is made on the title suit, land cannot be disposed of.

In effect, it means the situation is back to square one — any allocation or division of land is going to be permitted only after a final settlement of the 134-year-old case and going by the extreme complexities involved, a final judgment is no nearer than when the first hearing began in the 19th century! But the judicial wait can be interminable for politicians who have made the construction of the Ram Temple their main agenda.

The case has lingered on for so long that many involved parties have begun throwing up their hands. But India cannot become a country where the rule of law can be hurled out of the window. The apex court is going into every aspect of the case, and it is a time consuming affair.

Nonetheless, the most significant politico-legal case in the country’s history is nearing a tricky turn. A lot is going to depend now on what the Supreme Court decides.