Ram Ki Janmabhoomi: Supreme Court refuses to stall release, says film cannot affect Ayodhya mediation

The Supreme Court on 28 March refused to stall the release of Ram Ki Janmabhoomi. Manoj Joshi and Govind Namdeo star in the film directed by Sanoj Mishra. It is slated to hit cinemas on 29 March. The bench headed by Justice S A Bobde was presented with a plea from Prince Yakud Habeebuddin Tucy, claiming that the film will affect the outcome of the SC appointed mediation in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute. Tucy’s advocate Lily Thomas said the matter was for urgent hearing as the film released on Friday. [caption id=“attachment_6351931” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] A poster of Ram Ki Janmabhoomi. Image from Twitter[/caption] “Do you think a movie can affect the outcome of the mediation? If the parties want to settle the dispute, they will. If they don’t want to settle it, they won’t. A movie has nothing to do with it,” said the court, reports News18. The plea will now be heard after two weeks, writes Live Law. On 28 March , the Delhi High Court heard a similar petition by Tucy, who claims to be a descendant of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, seeking directions to the movie’s producers and the Centre to stop release of th_e Ram Ki Janmabhoomi_. He alleged that the film contained a “personal attack” on him and his “royal” family and would also affect the sovereignty and integrity of the country. The court said that people have to be tolerant of Article 19, which guarantees the freedom of speech and expression of the constitution has to survive.