Roadblock in path of mandir construction cleared: Subramanian Swamy on Ayodhya verdict

New Delhi, Sep 27: By a majority of 2:1, the Supreme Court on Thursday declined to refer the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi land dispute case to larger bench.

Reacting to the verdict, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said that today's ruling cleared a roadblock in the path of the construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.

Speaking to Times Now, Swamy said that this ruling will ensure that the matter is now expedited. "I would like the temple to be constructed before Diwali," he added.

"Now the judgment on the Ayodhya land title case was not far. He opined that his fundamental right to pray supersedes the Sunni Waqf Board's ordinary right to property and hence the court will ultimately rule in favour of Hindus," he further said.

The Supreme Court Thursday ruled that the 1994 M Islam Faruqui verdict need not be referred to a larger bench.

Justice Ashok Bhushan gave the judgment on behalf of CJI Dipak Misra and himself.

"Observations in Ismail Faruqui verdict that mosques is not essential to religion is in the context of acquisition of mosque and made with respect to the facts of that case," Justice Bhushan said, adding that questionable observations in Faruqui's case are not relevant for deciding suits or appeals.

All temples, mosques, churches at equally relevant, the bench hearing Ayodhya case has observed, as Justice Ashok Bhushan reads out the judgment.