March 08, 2019:

On Friday, the Supreme Court ordered mediation in the Ayodhya title suit.

A 5-Judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi passed the order to this effect.

Mediation will start within a week at Faizabad and state of UP has to make arrangements, the Supreme Court ruled. Mediation panel has to give its report within four weeks.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh, known for his hardline stand on Hindutva issues, said he had no comments to offer on the court order, but asked Muslims “not to be obstinate” as he pitched for building the Ram temple.

“Can there be anything other than a mosque in Mecca and Madina? Do Hindus have not even this much right after partition that we can offer prayers to Lord Ram in Ayodhya?” he asked.

Retired Supreme Court judge F M I Kallifulla, head of the mediation team, says, “For the present, I can only say that if the committee has been constituted, we will take every step to resolve the dispute amicably.”

“It would be most befitting that the matter is resolved through dialogue...let’s see what happens now,” AIMPLB general secretary Maulana Wali Rehmani told, welcoming the decision.

MIM President Asaduddin Owaisi welcomed the Supreme Court order for mediation to settle the Ayodhya dispute, but voiced concern over Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar being made a mediator. He said the spiritual leader had warned that if Muslims did not give up the land, India will become a Syria.

There is no question of not building a temple where we believe Lord Ram was born, says BJP MP Subramanian Swamy, a petitioner in the case.

“It is a very serious responsibility given to me by the Honourable Supreme Court. I will do my best,” says Senior Advocate Sriram Panchu, named by the Supreme Court as a member of the panel to mediate the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute.

Sri Sri Ravishankar on being appointed in Ayodhya mediation panel by Supreme Court, "I just heard of this news, I think this will be good for the country, mediation is the only way."

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