Mediation in Ayodhya land dispute will be 'sterile exercise', says Subramanian Swamy after SC reserves order in case

New Delh: Just a few hours after the Supreme Court reserved its order in the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid case on Wednesday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy said that mediation in the matter would be a “sterile exercise.”

“Mediation in Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case is a sterile exercise. There is no use of this as all the parameters have already been set by the central government. The lands belong to the government. Even if they (Sunni Waqf Board) win the title suit, they are not going to get the land. At the most, they can get compensation,” he said.

Swamy also referred to the Narasimha Rao’s government statement on the Ram Temple issue that the land will be given to Hindus as the temple’s evidence has been found. “The Supreme Court bench has said that the masjid can be shifted to anywhere as it is not the essential part of Islam, whereas this does not go for Hindus,” he said.

The apex court reserved its order on the issue of referring Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case to a court-appointed and monitored mediation for “a permanent solution.” The court asked the parties concerned to suggest the name of a mediator or panel of mediators.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it intends to pass the order soon.