Order heralds a new dawn: PM
NEWDELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit has brought a new dawn while underlining the unity in diversity that India is known for. He urged the people to put the past behind and move ahead.
“...This controversy may have affected many generations, but after this decision, we have to make a resolution that now a new generation will start building a new India from scratch,” said Modi in an address to the nation. He added that fear, bitterness, and negativity have no place in new India.
Modi said just as November 9 marked a new beginning for Germany exactly 28 years back with fall of the Berlin Wall, the day has ushered a new dawn for India as well. “Today is November 9 [Saturday], the day when Berlin wall was brought down [in 1991]. Today, the Kartarpur Corridor was also inaugurated and today the Ayodhya verdict was also delivered... so this date gives us the message to stay united and move forward,” he said.
The address came hours after Modi inaugurated the corridor on the Indian side for pilgrims to the gurdwara built at the place where Sikhism’s founder, Guru Nanak, spent his final years.
Modi said the people have accepted the Ayodhya verdict wholeheartedly and added that it shows the strength of India’s unity and national character. He applauded the court and said the decision marked a golden day for the legal fraternity too. Modi added that the court’s decision had shown that solutions to the most difficult issues lie within the ambit of the Constitution. “...no matter how long it takes, we must show patience,’’ he said. “It is important to have unshaken faith in our constitution.” He said the court heard everyone with patience and there was a unanimous decision.
Modi earlier tweeted that the Supreme Court’s verdict should not be seen as “a win or loss for anybody”. He added that it is imperative for Indians to strengthen their patriotic spirit. In a series of tweets, Modi said that the judgment was notable as it highlighted that any dispute could be resolved amicably.
“Be it Ram Bhakti [devotion] or Rahim Bhakti, it is imperative that we strengthen the spirit of Rashtra [nation] Bhakti. May peace and harmony prevail,”
Modi tweeted. “May this very spirit of unity and togetherness power the development trajectory of our nation. May every Indian be empowered.”
Union home minister Amit Shah welcomed the verdict as historic and thanked the priests and thousands of unknown people who worked tirelessly for it over the years. In a series of tweets, Shah appealed all communities and religions to accept the court’s decision and remain committed to “Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat [one India, great India]”.
“I am confident that this landmark judgment given by the Supreme Court will prove to be a milestone in itself. This decision will further strengthen India’s unity, integrity, and great culture,” Shah tweeted. He said that the dispute over the site at Ayodhya had been going on for decades and the apex court’s ruling had settled the matter. “I congratulate the justice system of India and all the justices,” he tweeted.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh said that the ruling would further strengthen India’s social fabric. “I urge everyone to take the verdict with equanimity and magnanimity...”