The Hindu : Undisputed land for VHP opposed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 06, 2002

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Undisputed land for VHP opposed

By Our Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI AUG. 5. The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Centre, the Uttar Pradesh Government and others on an application from Mohd. Aslam alias Bhure (on whose petition in March a restraint order on performing `shila dhan' in Ayodhya was passed) saying he had "no objection" for the 43 acres of "undisputed land" being directed to be handed over to the original owners and not to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

A three-Judge Bench comprising the Chief Justice B.N. Kirpal, Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice Arijit Pasayat ordered notice returnable in six weeks.

The Bench also allowed the applicant to implead the necessary respondents, which included Rajasthan, the All-India Babri Masjid Action Committee, the VHP, the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, the United Lawyers Front and Mohd. Hasim (one of the plaintiffs in the original title suits pending before the Allahabad High Court).

In his application, Mr. Bhure submitted that the Supreme Court had on March 13 and 14 passed orders that no religious activity of any kind by anyone either symbolic or actual including `bhumi puja' shall be permitted or allowed to take place in the 67.703 acres of land in Ayodhya.

He said subsequent to the order, the VHP leaders, including Ashok Singhal, had been issuing statements that the Centre should hand over 43 acres of the "undisputed" land (out of 67.703 acres) to them for construction of a Ram temple.

As the matter had been referred to a larger Bench, the issue of 43 acres of land, whether "disputed" or "undisputed" could only be determined by the larger Bench, he said and added that he would have no objection if the court were to decide on handing over the 43 acres of land to its original owners.

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