Mehbooba Mufti seeks punishment for Babri Masjid demolishers

Days after visiting terrorists' families, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday, called for punishing those responsible for the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya in 1992.

"Honourable Supreme Court's decision to constitute a bench for Babri Masjid-Ram Mandir issue is a welcome step. There is also a need to ensure that punishment is meted out to those who demolished the Babri Masjid so that such acts are not repeated in the future," tweeted Mehbooba.

On Friday, a Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice SK Kaul said an "appropriate bench" will fix the date of hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case on January 10.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president also raised the issue of anti-Sikh riots, saying had the culprits been punished, there would not have been communal riots in the country.

Mehbooba's pitch for punishing the Babri-demolition accused comes a day after National Conference president and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah said attempts should be made to resolve the issue. "Lord Ram is the God of entire world. Attempts should be made to resolve this issue and build a temple. The day it happens, I will also contribute one stone if Hindus have no objection," he said.

Meanwhile, the PDP suffered another setback on Saturday after senior leader and former minister Javid Mustafa Mir quit the party. He is the fourth former PDP minister to have quit in the run up to assembly polls.