NEW DELHI: Even as the Supreme Court reserved its verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute till November 17 on the last day of the day-to-day hearings, there're indications that the 70 years old case might finally get resolved through a mediation formula. It remains to be seen whether the court goes with the mediation settlement or comes up with its own verdict.

Encore, once more

The once-failed mediation following which the SC stepped in to solve the dispute from August, seems to have got a second lease of life, with the SC-appointed mediation panel — comprising former Judge of SC F M I Kalifulla, senior advocate Sriram Panchu and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar — filing a settlement between the warring Hindu and Muslim parties. According to the terms of the settlement, Sunni Wakf Board will give up its claim on the disputed 2.77 acre land in lieu of which the government will do restoration work at 52 mosques in Ayodhya; the Wakf Board will construct another mosque at an alternative site; implementation of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 that prohibits "conversion of any place of worship and to provide for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed" on August 15, 1947 (the Act exempts Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute from its purview); and opening of select few mosques under ASI control for offering of namaz.

READ ALSO | In latest theatrics, Rajeev Dhavan shreds 'Ram birthplace' map

What's different

Unlike last time, the mediation panel appears to have got the Muslim parties on board with its settlement formula — with signatories to the settlement including Sunni Wakf Board, parent body of Nirmohi Akharas, Nirvani Akhara, Hindu Mahasabha and Ram Janmasthan Punarudhar Samiti. Even though the VHP-backed Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas did not participate in the mediation, the settlement is in line with their objectives — that of building a Ram temple at the disputed site. On the Muslim side, one of the parties — the Jamiat Ulema — is also not a signatory to the settlement. However, it's the Sunni Wakf Board which has ownership of the land.

READ ALSO | Muslim parties ready to drop claim to Ayodhya land: Mediation panel

A filmy twist

Earlier in the day, there were plenty of histrionics on display by both the bar and bench, when the lawyer for the Hindu Mahasabha, Vikas Singh, produced a map which was supposedly the site of the birthplace of Lord Rama, along with a few other documents. This was objected to by the lawyer for the Muslim parties, Rajeev Dhawan, who questioned the map's veracity.

READ ALSO | Ram temple construction from December 6: Sakshi Maharaj

Lost in sarcasm?

Dhawan, objecting to the introduction of new evidence, sought the court’s permission to tear up the map — "May I have your permission to tear this document....this is Supreme Court and not a joke" — and proceeded to do the same, following which the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi remarked that he could shred it further, which the lawyer understood in the literal sense and went ahead with the tearing. Except that the CJI, heading a five-judge bench, then warned that if both parties kept speaking out of turn, the judges would stage a walkout — "We can also get up right now and finish the proceedings in the matter."

No leave till November 30

Meanwhile, the UP government has ordered all officials to be on "field duty" with no leave permissible till November 30. The instructions, which came on Wednesday, coinciding with the last day of the SC hearing in the Ayodhya land dispute case, were attributed by the government to the festival season.

