Questions asked only to us, not Hindus: Muslim parties

NEWDELHI: Muslim parties alleged before the Supreme Court on Monday that questions are asked only to them and not posed to the Hindu side in the politically sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi land dispute case at Ayodhya.

This comment was made by senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing f or t he Muslim parties, before a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.

“Your Lordship didn’t ask questions to the other side. All the questions have been asked to us only. Of c ourse, we are answering them.” Dhavan told the bench on the 38th day of the crucial hearing in the case.

The submission was vehemently opposed by senior advocate CS Vaidyanathan, representing deity ‘Ram Lalla’.

Dhavan’s remark came when the bench, which also comprises justices Sharad Arvind Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer, said that the idea behind erecting an iron railing at the disputed site was to separate the inner courtyard from the outer courtyard.

By putting up an iron railing, the idea was to separate Hindus and Muslims and it was to appreciate the fact that Hindus were offering prayers in the outercourtyard where ‘Ram Chabutra’, ‘Sita Rasoi’, ‘Bhandar Grih’ were situated, the court said.

SECURITY FOR STATE WAQF BOARD CHAIR Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the Uttar Pradesh government to provide security “forthwith” to the Uttar Pradesh Waqf Board Chairperson Zafar Ahmed Farooqui.

A 5-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, took note of the communication addressed to it by the mediation committee t hat Farooqui apprehended threat and directed the state government to take immediate steps to provide him security.

The letter on the security threat was written by Sriram Panchu, one of the mediators besides former apex court judge FMI Kalifulla and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.