The Hindu : Plea to prohibit claim on acquired Ayodhya land

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 23, 2003

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Plea to prohibit claim on acquired Ayodhya land

New Delhi March 22. A petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking prohibition on any organisation, including the VHP, from demanding part or whole of the acquired land at Ayodhya until the Supreme Court orders on the Central Government's plea to vacate the stay on conducting any kind of religious activity on the undisputed land.

The petition also sought action under the Indian Penal Code and POTA against the VHP leaders, who participated in the Dharma Sansad held here in February, delivering inflammatory speeches and threatening to disobey even the apex court orders. It sought monitoring of the action taken by the authorities in this regard, by the court.

The petition, filed by N.Y. Khan, is expected to come up for hearing on Monday.

Another bead found

A second glass bead was reportedly found at the disputed site in Ayodhya on the ninth day of excavation today. The earlier one was found yesterday. Sources said the bead was retrieved from `K6' trench.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) team members remain tight-lipped on the findings so far, but the articles have been cleaned and kept in `Manas Bhawan' under tight security.

Sources said since the start of excavation, several pieces of earthenware, portions of a plastered wall and floor, a broken bangle, footmark on a stone, coral stone and a part of a `parkota' had been unearthed so far.

Amid elaborate security today, 45 labourers were deployed for digging in the presence of eight representatives of various contesting parties.

Meanwhile, some Muslim parties have objected to the excavation methodology of the ASI. On the ninth day of excavation, the parties announced that they would move court on March 24 objecting to the methods being adopted by the ASI.

Talking to UNI here, Jafaryab Jeelani, counsel of the Central Sunni Waqf Board, which is a major party to the dispute, said the methods being adapted by the special team of the ASI were not acceptable to him and he would move the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court.

He alleged that the archaeological findings were neither being sealed in his presence nor were their shape and weight being recorded. Many items were not even photographed in his presence, he claimed. — UNI

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