We had reported earlier that the Narendra Modi government had filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking permission to release 67 acres of land at Ayodhya around the Ram Janambhoomi site, excluding 0.313 acres of disputed land, to the Ram Janambhoomi Nyas. This area was acquired by the government of India and is not part of the title suit that the court is hearing, and there is no dispute over this land which surrounds the disputed site. The dispute is limited only to the 0.313 acres of land where the disputed structure of Babri masjid once stood.
Now, Times Now has reported that one of the Muslim petitioners in the case, Haji Mehboob, has asserted that the entire country will burn should the government’s plea be accepted by the Court.
We know that it’s a big game. If this happens, the entire country will burn: Haji Mehboob, Petitioner #NDAMegaMandirPush pic.twitter.com/mHj8C1Oo4S
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) January 29, 2019
Mehboob suggested that the move was political. He stated, “The whole world knows about the current position of the BJP, therefore the Modi government took this step.” He then went on to add that if the “government would have taken this step two years back, people would have accepted it. We know that it is a big game. If this happens, the entire country will burn. Remember this, the country will not be saved.”
The repeated delays in the Supreme Court has been the cause of much anguish in the Hindu community. Recently, the January 29th hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi matter was delayed further because of the non-availability of Justice S A Bobde. Earlier, Justice Lalit had decided to recuse himself. Therefore, the hearing was adjourned till January 29.
Under such circumstances, the move by the Narendra Modi government is seen as a way of quickly resolving the dispute. However, it is again up to the Judiciary now to pave the way further towards resolving the dispute.