Ayodhya: Sunni Waqf Board failed to establish possessory rights over disputed property says SC

New Delhi, Nov 09: The Supreme Court today held that the Sunni Waqf Board has not been able to prove its exclusive right and that the entire land has to be considered as a whole.

While citing evidence that Hindus continued praying, the SC ruled that Muslims have not been establish possessory rights over the disputed property.

The riots of 1934 and disturbances in 1949 show possession of the inner court yard was a matter of contestation. Documents prior to 1857 show that Hindus were not barred from worshipping in the inner court yard. The railings segregating the outer and inner courtyard was made in 1857. But Hindus always believed that the birthplace of Ram was in the inner courtyard of the mosque, the court said.

The court also held that the disputed site is one composite whole. There was no namaz after 1949, the court further held.

For 325 years from the construction of the Mosque till 1857, Muslims have given no evidence of offering prayers at the disputed site in exclusion of Hindus. The destruction of the Mosque was in breach of the SC order, the Bench however added.

The Muslims offered prayers inside the inner courtyard and the same was done by Hindus in the outer court yard, the Supreme Court also said.

The court also added that though there were obstructions, Muslims continued to offer Namaz inside the inner courtyard. So the Muslims have not abandoned the Mosque, the SC said.