Hindu groups criticise delay, blame Opposition
NEWDELHI/LUCKNOW: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas criticised the delay in the Ram Janmabhoomibabri Masjid title suit hearing on Thursday with the latter outfit blaming the Opposition.
The VHP, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, said their “apprehensions that the opposite party shall raise any frivolous issues to secure an adjournment have come true”.
The comment came on a day the apex court set January 29 as the date for the constitution of a new five-judge bench after justice UU Lalit recused himself. The VHP has been demanding a hearing on a daily basis; they have also been pushing the government to bring a legislation for the construction of the Ram Temple.
“The objection that a judicial order should have been passed for the constitution of a five-judge bench is apparently frivolous; for it is settled that the Hon’ble Chief Justice is the master of roster. He alone decides the strength of a bench and the judges to sit in it,” said VHP working president Alok Kumar. The Nyas alleged the Congress and other parties were “hell bent” on delaying the case. “Earlier, it was Congress MP and lawyer Kapil Sibal who got the hearing adjourned last year. Today, it was another Congress supporter and Sunni Waqf Board lawyer Rajeev Dhawan who did the same thing,” said Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, head of the Nyas. Dhawan had pointed out that justice Lalit had represented former Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Singh in an earlier case.
“The Congress party does not want Ram mandir... It wants Ram Lala to reside in a tent till eternity,” said Sharad Sharma, VHP’S regional spokesperson .
The VHP described the adjournment as “rather long”. “Hindus are known for their patience...the judicial system still has the responsibility of deciding the matters without undue delays,” said Kumar.
National Commission for Minorities chairperson Syed Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi also called for an early resolution to the dispute. “No one should create any hurdle in the hearing of the case. The country as well as Hindus and Muslims will be benefitted with the earliest resolution of the dispute,” Rizvi told reporters.
Former RSS ideologue KN Govindacharya wrote to the Centre seeking live streaming of proceedings. “The whole country, including the prime minister, is eager for early resolution...for the last eight years, the matter has been pending before the SC. Countless attempts are being made by many parties to delay the hearings...” the letter addressed to cabinet secretary PK Sinha by Govindacharya and veteran lawyer KG Gupta of think tank Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change said.