SC Final Verdict on Ayodhya Case Updates: UP Police says 'not a single incident' of unrest reported in temple town, all have accepted verdict

Ayodhya Verdict released, Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid Case Supreme Court Verdict released LATEST News and Updates: Ayodhya circle officer, Amar Singh on Saturday evening said that the situation is normal in Ayodhya. “Not even a single incident has been reported, whether it is Muslim brothers or Hindu brothers, all have accepted the verdict. We have not faced any challenges. We have been patrolling all the areas, the situation is normal,” he was quoted as saying by ANI. The Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday evening said that it rejected the “unwarranted and gratuitous” comments made by Pakistan on the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Ayodhya land dispute case. Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi earlier on Saturday objected to the timing of the Ayodhya verdict, which coincides with the inauguration of the Kartarpur corridor, saying he was “deeply saddened” at the “insensitivity” shown at such a joyous occasion. The MEA was quoted by ANI as saying, “We reject the unwarranted and gratuitous comments made by Pakistan on the judgment of the Supreme Court on a civil matter that is completely internal to India. It pertains to the rule of law and equal respect for all faiths — concepts that aren’t part of their ethos. So, while Pakistan’s lack of comprehension isn’t surprising, their pathological compulsion to comment on our internal affairs with the obvious intent of spreading hatred is condemnable.” BJP leader LK Advani, who was one of the politicians at the forefront of the issue, said that the Supreme Court verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute was a “moment of fulfillment” for him. “God gave me the opportunity to contribute to a mass movement, biggest since India’s Freedom Movement. I stand vindicated, feel deeply blessed at Supreme Court verdict paving way for construction of magnificent Ram temple in Ayodhya. Now the time has come to leave all contention and acrimony behind and embrace communal concord and peace,” he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation regarding the Supreme Court’s verdict in the decades-old Ayodhya land dispute case, also mentioned the inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor with Pakistan in view of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. “Today is 9 November, the day when Berlin Wall was brought down. Today the Kartarpur Corridor was also inaugurated. Now with the Ayodhya verdict, this date gives us the message to stay united and move forward,” he said. “Ayodhya verdict a golden chapter in Indian judicial history.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation on the Supreme Court’s verdict in the decades-old Ayodhya land dispute case, said that the way all sections of society had accepted the judgment, “reflected India’s ancient traditions”. “With this judgment, India has scripted history,” he was quoted as saying by India Today. “It is a matter of pride. In years to come, to truly understand the principle of unity in diversity, the Supreme Court’s judgment today will be referred to. This judgment has been scripted by all the citizens of the country,” he said. Hailing the apex court, Modi said that the verdict proved that complex cases were also possible to be resolved legally. He said, “The Supreme Court listened to all the sides during the hearings of this case with utmost patience and it is a matter of happiness for the entire country that the decision came with the consent of all. It is important that the judgment was unanimous” Hailing the Supreme Court’s judgment in the Ayodhya land dispute case on Saturday as a win for India’s society as a whole, Prime Minister Narendra Modi adopted his slogan of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ in the context of the ruling and said that moving forward after the settlement of the decades-old conflict, citizens should make sure that all were having an equal chance at development and progress. “There is no place for fear, bitterness and negativity in ‘New India’” Modi said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to address the nation shortly, reports said, adding that he is likely to weigh in on the Supreme Court’s order in the Ayodhya land dispute case on Saturday. Modi, earlier on Saturday, attended the Kartarpur Corridor inaugural ceremony. The counsel for the Ram Lalla deity, one of the litigants in the Ayodhya land dispute case on which the Supreme Court passed a ruling on Saturday, hailed the verdict and said that it has the “balanced interest of all parties.” One of the litigants in the decades-old Ayodhya land dispute case, the Sunni Waqf Board, reportedly said that it won’t seek a review of the Supreme Court’s judgment in the case on Saturday. CNN-News18 and India Today quoted the litigant as saying that they won’t seek a review. Asaduddin Owaisi said he was unsatisfied with the Supreme Court ruling. He said, “Supreme Court is supreme but not infallible.” Expressing satisfaction with the Supreme Court judgment in the Ayodhya case, Iqbal Ansari, one of the litigants, said that he won’t challenge the verdict. However, All India Muslim personal Law Board has indicated that they will file a review petition in the Supreme Court as they are not satisfied with the ruling. Mohan Bhagwat said, “We welcome this decision of Supreme Court. This case was going on for decades and it has reached the right conclusion. This should not be seen as a win or loss.We also welcome everyone’s efforts to maintain peace and harmony in society.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted drawing attention to the importance of taking the legal course in resolving disputes following the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case. As the Supreme Court verdict on Ram Janmabhoomi and Babri Masjid case came to a close, reactions have started pouring in. Senior BJP leaders and ministers, including Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, welcomed the judgmement. Shah congratulated the “justice system of India.” Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray tweeted, “Jai Shri Ram.” Addressing a press conference, Sunni Wakf Board lawyer Zafaryab Jilani said that the Supreme Court has upheld the secular fabric of the country. Jilani further added that while the Muslim side respects the judgment, five acres of land has no value for the party. “We respect the Supreme Court. We respect the judgment. But we are not satisfied with this. There are a lot of contradictions within the judgment. Five acre has no value. We appeal for calm,” Jilani said. A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court today (Saturday) allotted the disputed Ayodhya land to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas. The apex court ordered allotment of an alternative piece of five acres of land to the Muslims for a mosque. The Bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, said the Hindu litigants were able to establish their case that they were in possession of the outer courtyard. It added that the Muslim side was unable to prove their exclusive possession of the inner courtyard. The apex court has directed the Centre to frame a scheme under which it will constitute a body within three months to hand over the inner and outer courtyard to the Ramjanmabhoomi Trust. It said the Sunni Wakf Board would be granted five acres of land in a ‘suitable, prominent place in Ayodhya’. A suitable plot of land measuring 5 acres to be handed over to Sunni Waqf Board either by Central government or state government. Sunni Wakf Board at liberty to construct a mosque at the allotted land. Here are the few final pointers from the judgment: Suit 3 by Nirmohi Akhara dismissed as barred by limitation. Suit 4 and suit 5 within limitation. Central Govt should within 3 months formulate a scheme envisaging setting up of Trust Possession of inner and outer courtyards to be handed over to the Trust The Supreme Court says the faith and belief of Hindus that Ram was born in Ayodhya is “indisputable”. The apex court says, “Faith is a matter of individual believer… No evidence has come on record to discount the belief of Hindus in the place.” **’**The ASI report can be lent credence to the underlying structure was dated 12th Century. But the ASI report hasn’t said the underlying structure was a specific temple. The ASI report that a temple inside is supported by evidence. However, ASI did not say whether a temple was demolished to build another structure. Hindus consider Ayodhya as birthplace of Lord Ram. Faith and belief of Hindus that Lord Ram was born under the inner dome, Faith of Hindus is undisputed that Lord Ram was born in Ayodhya.’ There is adequate material in ASI report to conclude the following, says the Supreme Court. “Babri Masjid not constructed on vacant land. There was a structure underlying the disputed structure.” “The underlying structure was not an Islamic structure,” holds the Supreme Court. ‘The Ayodhya judgment will be an unanimous judgment,’ the Supreme Court has held. Pronouncement of judgment will last for half an hour, the bench says. First order will be on First order on suit by Sri Ram Lalla Virajman. Supreme Court says even they have agreed the mosque was built by Meer Baqui. It is not relevant when the mosque was built by Meer Baqui during Babur time, said the bench. The 5-judge Constitutional bench has assembled. The doors of courtroom were opened and crowd of lawyers and journalists have rushed in. Pronouncement of judgment commences. ​CJI Ranjan Gogoi, “We would request silence please.” The Supreme Court of India will deliver the judgment in the Ayodhya matter at 10.30 am today. CNBC-TV18 reported that a massive crowd has gathered outside Court Room 1 of the Supreme Court where the 5-judge Constitutional bench will deliver the judgment in the Ayodhya case. CJI Ranjan Gogoi is reportedly on his way to the court right now. CJI Ranjan Gogoi has left his residence for Supreme Court ahead of the Ayodhya verdict. There is a heavy security deployment outside Supreme Court, and ahead of the verdict Gogoi’s security cover was upgraded to that of Z-security. Security personnel are being briefed at the Supreme Court premises. A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court will deliver the judgment in Ayodhya land dispute case in less than an hour. Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Om Prakash Singh notified that several confidence building measures have been taken by the cops. “We did around 10,000 meetings across the state with religious leaders and citizens. We are appealing to the people of the state to not spread rumors on social media.” Paramilitary forces have been deployed in Ayodhya and drones are being used to conduct an aerial surveillance on the day of the Ayodhya case verdict. Singh added that the intelligence machinery has also been geared up and random checks are also taking place. An ADG rank officer has been deployed in Ayodhya to keep an eye on operations, Singh said. The Supreme Court judgment in the Ayodhya case is excected at 10.30 am today. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will address the nation through press conference today at 1 pm in Delhi after the Supreme Court verdict in Ayodhya case. All preparations have been put in place to ensure peace in the entire state of Uttar Pradesh, across the country in general, and Ayodhya in particular. Security has been beefed up in Ayodhya and adjoining areas ahead of the Supreme Court verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri masjid title suit and the administration is keeping strict vigil in 31 districts of Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Saturday. Section 144 has been imposed across Uttar Pradesh. The Congress party has issued an advisory to its leaders and spokespersons asking them not to comment to the media until an official party stand is formalised post the judgment. All educational institutions in Uttar Pradesh will remain closed from Saturday to Monday in view of the Ayodhya verdict, officials said on Friday. A sudden anxiety gripped the temple town on Friday night as the news that the Supreme Court will deliver its verdict in the communally sensitive Ayodhya land dispute case on Saturday began to trickle in. Today the temple tows is turned into a fortress as it warily awaits judgment in a decades-old case. Pilgrims, who had travelled to Ayodhya for a religious event on Monday, 11 November, are leaving the temple town “fearing a riot-like situation” Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, ahead of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the politically sensitive Ayodhya case, urged people not to believe rumours and that the administration was “fully committed” to protecting all citizens. “I appeal to the people of the country to ignore the rumors. The administration is fully committed to protecting everyone and maintaining law and order in the state. If any person tries to play with law and order, strict action will be taken against him,” he said. Sources who got in touch with the district magistrate Anuj Jha who said that the state is prepared for any eventuality. He also added that there was no need to panic and that enough security measures have been put in place. A heavy deployment of police personnel has been pressed into service in the Nayaghat area in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya ahead of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the decades-old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case. While Nayaghat is close to the disputed area not many restrictions have been imposed currently. Prime Minister Narendra Modi weighed in with an appeal for peace and unity ahead of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute. Modi, who in the past week has instructed state administrations to ensure that peace is maintained across the country, said. “Whatever decision the Supreme Court delivers in the Ayodhya case, it’ll not be a victory or defeat for anyone. My appeal to the countrymen is that it should be the priority of all of us that this decision should further strengthen the great tradition of peace,unity and goodwill of India.” Ahead of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case on Saturday, the Delhi Police has tightened security across the National Capital and asked its top officials to identify sensitive areas in the city for deployment of additional force, reports said. The deputy commissioners of police of all districts, along with the station house officers, have been directed to raise police visibility and patrolling in communally sensitive areas. In Meerut, the Divisional Commissioner Anita Meshram along with IG Alok Kumar also took stock of the law and order situation on Friday. The Supreme Court is scheduled to pronounce on Saturday its verdict in the politically sensitive case of Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute in Ayodhya. The apex court is likely to pronounce judgement at 10.30 am. A 5-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, had reserved the judgement on 16 October after marathon hearing of 40 days. As the security preparedness has been ramped up in Ayodhya before the ruling on Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title case is pronounced, all roads leading to the temple have been completely blocked by the state administration. After intensive monitoring, the administration is permitting entry only by foot. Syed Ahmed Bukhari, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, on Friday urged all Indians “to exercise restraint and demonstrate faith in the judiciary” ahead of the Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title case. “It is a testing time for the nation. Though passions on both sides are running high, but I would urge the Indian conscience to exercise restraint and demonstrate faith in the judiciary,” Bukhari said in a statement. “I hope that the constitutional superiority shall prevail and rule of law is not compromised. It is a testing time for the nation,” the statement added. In anticipation of the Supreme Court verdict, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a Hindu right-wing organisation who has been at the forefront of the movement demanding the construction of Ram temple at the disputed site, has stopped stone carving work for the construction of the ‘grand temple’ in Ayodhya for the first time since 1990. “All the artisans involved in the work have returned to their homes,” said VHP spokesperson Sharad Sharma. In a closed door meeting of prominent Muslim organisations convened by Navaid Hamid, president of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, the apex body of Indian Muslim organisations, the participants resolved to maintain peace and harmony at all cost after the Supreme Court verdict in the Ayodhya dispute is out. Jamaat-e-Islami Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madani expressed hope that the decision of the apex court will go in its favour. The Jamiat is one of the stakeholders in the dispute. Even as the advocates of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and other parties, defending the Babri case, have argued with evidences in the Supreme Court, Madani was optimistic and said there was “no reason to doubt about the outcome.” Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Rajendra Kumar Tiwari reached the Supreme Court on Friday along with other top officials to meet CJI Ranjan Gogoi. The meeting was called upon to ascertain the security preparedness on ground for after the momentous ruling on Ayodha land dispute is out. As the final verdict by the Supreme Court on the contentious Ayodhya land dispute draws near, the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has called upon Uttar Pradesh chief secretary, the Director General of Police (DGP) and other top officials to ascertain the security preparedness on ground for after the momentous ruling is out. The decision is expected to be delivered before Gogoi vacates the chair on 17 November. The tentative date for the verdict is 15 November, reported CNN-News18. “The office of CJI Ranjan Gogoi has summoned the offices of the chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh, DGP a day ago and the meeting is expected to take place at 12 pm (a tentative time of the meeting) to ensure law and order stays intact in the state and assess the readiness of the state government in meeting all situations once the verdict is out,” said Legal editor Utkarsh Aanand, speaking to News18.

Meanwhile, the situation in Ayodhya remains on knife’s edge with prohibitory order in place till 28 December. Any sort of “victory celebrations” or “mourning processions” have also been banned. On Thursday, the central government rushed around 4,000 paramilitary personnel to the state, where the nation’s longest pending dispute is about to be settled. The Railway police cancelled leave of its force and stepped up vigil at 78 major stations and on trains as part of its security preparedness. Livemint quoted Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police OP Singh as saying, “All precautions are being taken. We are going to ensure timely response of law and order at any cost. All field officers have also been sensitized and we are in regular touch with all communities on the ground to ensure that no untoward episode occurs.” The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also sent a general advisory to all the states and Union territories ordering deployment of adequate security personnel at all sensitive places. With the verdict predicted to be announced anytime in next week, political leaders made fresh calls to people not to indulge in making provocative remarks or spreading rumours. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday discussed the Ayodhya issue with his council of ministers and asked them to refrain from making unnecessary statements on the subject and maintain harmony in the country. A top leader in the ruling dispensation, on the condition of anonymity, told Firstpost that even if the judgment is in favour of the Hindu parties, the government will need to intervene and bring in a legislation . The objective of this legislation will be to bring clarity on which entity will construct and manage the Ram temple, and who will take possession of the 67 acres of land that are not disputed but are in the possession of the Centre. An MHA official in Delhi said the ministry has rushed 40 companies of paramilitary forces to Uttar Pradesh to assist the state government in maintaining law and order, particularly in Ayodhya. A company of paramilitary forces comprises about 100 personnel. Ayodhya is also expected to see a heavy rush of pilgrims next week over Kartik Purnima as the local administration gears up to ensure calm. Lakhs of devotees are expected to gather in the pilgrim town on 12 November for Kartik Purnima Snan. The railway police issued a seven-page advisory to all its zones giving them a slew of instructions on security preparedness, sources said. The advisory from the Railway Protection Force(RPF) said leaves of all its personnel have been cancelled and they have been instructed to be engaged in escorting trains. The advisory, which covers aspects like security at platforms, railway stations, yard, parking space, bridges and tunnels as well as production units and workshops, has earmarked all potential hot-spots which could either be a site for any violence or could be used to hide explosives. The RPF advisory said a close watch should be kept on all religious structures near railway stations or within its premises as they may become “flash points” in case tempers run high. It has also instructed caretakers of such structures not to leave them unguarded. It has identified around 78 major stations with high footfall including stations in Mumbai, Delhi, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh where the presence of RPF personnel have been increased. The advisory also rescinded an earlier order which allowed stations to keep their lighting to around 30 percent to save electricity when there is no train at the station, instructing all zones to keep lighting at 100 percent at all times instead. The advisory has also issued strict operational guidelines to be followed in case a mob is sighted in railway premises – presence of quick response teams, sealing of entry and exit points and use of CCTV cameras monitored by skilled personnel – to maximise security of railway premises. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad(VHP), meanwhile, has stopped stone carving work for the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya for the first time since 1990. “All the artisans involved in the work have returned to their homes,” said VHP spokesperson Sharad Sharma. He said the decision to stop the carving was taken by top leaders of the VHP, a Hindu right-wing organization that has been at the forefront of the movement demanding the construction of a ‘grand temple’ dedicated to Lord Ram at the site of the demolished Babri Masjid. With inputs from PTI