Interview: VHP must respect status quo order at Ayodhya

New Delhi, Dec 22: The focus is back on Ayodhya with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas leaders claiming to revive the movement to construct a Ram Temple. Several stone laden lorries arrived at Ayodhya over the past few days and the two organisations have said that they will speed up the construction work.

However the Committee on Babri Masjid has cried foul and says that it is the job of both the Uttar Pradesh state government and the centre to ensure that such activity is stopped immediately as there is a status quo on the site. The convenor the committee, Dr S Q R Ilyas says that there is a status quo order and no activity can take place there.

In this interview with OneIndia, Dr Ilyas says that the matter is pending before the Supreme Court and in such an event, we appeal to both the union and state government not to allow any activity on the site.

What are your reactions to the stones landing in Ayodhya in a bid to begin construction on the Ram Temple?
It is an act that is illegal and has to be stopped by the government at any cost. The union government is the custodian of the land and they have to stop the ongoing activity. It is also the duty of the UP state government to ensure that law and order is maintained at the site.

What is the position of law at the moment?
Nothing can take place on this site as of now. There is a status quo order which would mean no activity can take place.

Are you contemplating legal action?
Not as of now. We are appealing to the governments to stop such activity. We would expect that the UP government arrests those persons who are trying to change the position of law forcibly. We expect that the UP government will ensure that law and order is maintained and also the centre will respect that there is a status quo order in place.

There is case pending before the Supreme Court. What is the status?
It has been almost five years since the case was filed in the Supreme Court against the order of the Lucknow Bench of the High Court. There are 12 cases in all that are pending before the Supreme Court- 4 by the Hindu side and the rest by the Muslim side.

The Supreme Court has only transferred the affidavits filed by all the parties among each of the litigants. Let me tell you that this exercise was done only two months back and this would indicate how slowly the case is moving. There are a lot of other formalities that remain to be completed. The Supreme Court had sought for the translation of various files into English. An order to that effect is yet to be passed.

What was the last order of the Supreme Court?
The Supreme Court had stayed the verdict of the Lucknow Bench of the High Court which had ordered division of the land three ways and also held that the makeshift temple of Lord Ram belonged to the Hindus.

What has prompted the sudden activity at the site?
I feel that some elements are trying to keep the issue on the boil. They should have waited for the Supreme Court verdict. It looks at an attempt at polarisation keeping in mind the four state elections to be held next year.

OneIndia News