Muslims can pray elsewhere, Ram’s birthplace cannot be shifted: Parasaran

The Ayodhya appeals hearing in the Supreme Court is likely to end on October 16, two days before the deadline.

Appearing before the Ayodhya Bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Tuesday, senior advocate K. Parasaran, for the Hindu side, said Muslims could pray in several mosques around Ayodhya, but the birthplace of Lord Ram cannot be shifted.

‘Historical wrong’

The Hindu parties said the Muslim parties were growing “desperate” and accused Mughal emperor Babur of committing a “historical wrong” by constructing a mosque at the birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.

In what may probably be the last day of the hearing in the marathon appeals on October 16, Chief Justice Gogoi said, senior advocate C.S. Vaidynathan for the Hindu parties could continue for another 45 minutes, followed by senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan for an hour. Then the court would give four 45-minute slots to assorted parties before winding up the case for judgment.

Volley of questions

Earlier in the day, Mr. Parasaran, appearing for Mahant Suresh Das, a defendant in a law suit filed by Sunni Waqf Board and others, parried several questions from the Bench on the law of limitation and doctrine of adverse possession.

“They say, once a mosque always a mosque, do you support this?” the Bench asked Mr. Parasaran.

“No, I do not support it,” Mr. Parasaran replied. “I will say once a temple always a temple,” the former Attorney-General said.

Fourteen appeals were filed in the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among the three parties — the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.