Days ahead of the Supreme Court judgement in the long-pending Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, Maulana Arshad Madni, President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind on Wednesday said that Babri Mosque was a mosque in terms of law and justice and once a mosque is always a mosque.

The mosque existed for almost 400 years, therefore as per Sharia, it is still a mosque, he said while addressing a press conference. However, he clarified that “we will abide by the Supreme Court verdict based on evidence”. Madni claimed that people across India, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari are presently living in an ‘atmosphere of fear’.

The Supreme Court is expected to deliver its verdict on a dispute over the possession of 2.77 acres of land in Ayodhya district in Uttar Pradesh before November 17, when CJI Gogoi retires.

Read: Road to Ram Janmabhoomi, Ayodhya: How Hindus fought for Shri Ram

Yesterday, the Muslim clerics who met Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi at his residence ahead of the Supreme Court’s much-awaited verdict on the Ayodhya dispute, urged people to respect the apex court’s decision on the long-drawn row and asked people to maintain peace and calm.

The Chairman of All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council, Syed Naseeruddin Chisty advised people of all religion to accept the court order. He also claimed that the council will issue guidelines to all dargahs and make an appeal to people to not believe in rumours and fake news.

Another Shia cleric, Maulana Syed Kalbe Jawad echoed similar sentiments saying that everyone should respect the honourable court’s decision and exhorted people to maintain peace and calm as the country primes itself for a resolution in one of the oldest legal disputes.

Read: Ram Janmabhoomi case: Muslim parties ask SC to ‘keep future in mind’ while delivering Ayodhya verdict, make last effort to influence

On November 4, Ayodhya Police had also issued notification calling out the rumour-mongers and cautioning them that strict action will be taken against those who will be found inciting unrest through sharing fake news, communally sensitive videos/messages on Facebook, Whatsapp and other social media platforms.

The district magistrate has instructed people to not make any defamatory comments against any religion, community, deities, eminent personalities on social media platforms. People have also been prohibited from organising any event regarding the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute. Section 144 has been imposed in Ayodhya till December 28. Those violating the orders will be booked under Section 188 (disobedience of an order promulgated by public servant) of the IPC.

The UP Police has assured that they are completely and absolutely ready for the verdict. The central government has given UP almost 4000 extra Paramilitary personnel to maintain law and order situation in the state after and during the SC much-awaited verdict on the long-drawn Ayodhya dispute. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also granted 15 companies of paramilitary forces, including three each of BSF, RAF, CISF, ITBP and SSB, to Uttar Pradesh immediately which will stay in the state till November 18. These companies will be deployed in 12 most sensitive districts and cities in the state.

Read: It is on my table and Indian Express front page, let it be there only: CJI on Muslim party submission leaked to media in Ram Janmabhoomi case

Strict instructions have been passed down to the police station level that no breach of government directives on security and law and order should be tolerated.

A five-judge Supreme Court bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi heard the Ayodhya case on a day-to-day basis for 40 days and reserved its verdict on October 16. The court is expected to deliver its verdict on a dispute over the possession of 2.77 acres of land in Ayodhya district in Uttar Pradesh before November 17, when CJI Gogoi retires.

The Hindu parties have laid claim to the entire 2.77 acres of land claiming that it is Lord Ram’s “janm sthan” (birthplace) and the Muslims came in only after 1528 when a mosque was forcibly built on the ruins of the erstwhile Ram temple.