A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court is hearing the Ayodhya land dispute case

The counsel for deity Ram Lalla today told the Supreme Court that there is "proof beyond doubt" about the existence of a "massive structure" beneath the demolished Babri Masjid in Ayodhya and inference from excavated materials can be drawn that it was a temple.

A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was told by senior advocate CS Vaidyanathan, appearing for deity Ram Lalla that contention of Muslim parties that a structure beneath the disputed structure was an idgah wall or an Islamic structure was not correct.

"First their case was that there was no structure at all, secondly they said it was an Islamic structure or a Idgah wall. We say that it was a temple which was demolished and the pillar bases found during excavation also suggest to this effect", Mr Vaidyanathan said in his rejoinder arguments.

He further stated, "That there was a structure beneath is a proof beyond doubt".

Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for Muslim parties said as per the Archaeological Survey of India report there is no conclusive proof or findings of destruction of a temple.

Mr Vaidyanathan said that it is the case of Hindu parties that inference can be drawn from excavated materials which include circular shrines, pillar bases, intersecting walls and others that it was a temple.

