BJP should accept SC's Ram Temple verdict like it hailed Rafale case dismissal order, says Mehbooba Mufti

Mumbai: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should welcome the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid case just the way it hailed the order on the Rafale deal. “I hope that the manner in which the decision over Rafale deal has been welcomed and no fingers have been pointed at it, similarly when the decision over Babri Masjid comes, it will be similarly awaited and people will not start pointing fingers at the Supreme Court”. [caption id=“attachment_4543521” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti. PTI[/caption] A top court bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph, on Friday dismissed all petitions pertaining to the Rafale deal stating that there is no need to conduct an investigation. “We are satisfied that there is no occasion to doubt the process. Joint exercises have taken place and there is no element of financial benefits,” CJI Gogoi said. BJP president Amit Shah, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman were among the top BJP leaders hailing the court’s verdict while demanding an apology from Congress president Rahul Gandhi for ‘misleading’ the public over the issue. With the Supreme Court having adjourned the hearing of the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit till January 2019, when the court will fix the next date for hearing, several Hindu outfits, including the Shiv Sena and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have called upon the BJP to pass a legislature to start the construction of the temple at the disputed site. Many organisations have warned BJP of a defeat in the forthcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections if they fail to enact a law to start the construction of the Ram temple. While speaking on the issues associated with Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba lauded the efforts made by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee towards establishing peace in the state and reconciling with Pakistan. She reiterated that the period between 2002 and 2005 was a “golden period” for the state since the Prime Minister (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) and the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed) “were on the same page” for the first time. “They thought alike, their vision was alike and there was not much of the press who would label you ‘anti-India’ as soon as you mentioned Pakistan,” said Mehbooba, adding that the dialogue process that Vajpayee had started with Pakistan came to a standstill once he lost the following General elections. While pointing out that “governance is only possible with peace”, Mehbooba lamented lack of initiative from Prime Minister Narendra Modi in holding dialogue with Pakistan, separatists and others so that peace could prevail in Kashmir. “To restart what Vajpayee ji had left halfway, we joined hands with BJP. We put everything at stake, we knew it would be suicidal, but we still did it because we thought Modi ji will rise to the occasion. But unfortunately, he could not do so,” said Mehbooba.