AYODHYA: With a Supreme Court ruling on

unlikely before Lok Sabha polls, the

right-wing and Hindu litigants in the case are hardening their stand. While one side is of the view that an inordinate delay in the verdict will lead to instability in the country as anger is brewing among Hindus, the Muslim litigants are apprehensive of attempts to communalise the issue by blaming the community for the delay in judicial proceedings.

The two sides involved in the Ayodhya land dispute case pending before Supreme Court have begun pointing fingers at each other after January 29 was fixed as the next date of hearing when the case came up before court on January 10. Deferring of the court hearing has led to speculation that a verdict in the case may not come before the general elections.

One of the main litigants from the Hindu side, Triloki Nath Pandey, representing Ram Lalla Virajman is convinced the Supreme Court will not be able to deliver a verdict before the elections. “We are confident that Ram Temple will be constructed. It can happen through a court verdict or by way of negotiations between the two sides. If neither happens, the temple will be built the way the structure was demolished,” he said adding: “What will happen if 50 lakh Hindus gather in Ayodhya and start building the temple?”.

VHP spokesperson for Awadh Prant Sharad Sharma said the Babri Masjid supporters want to mislead the judicial process by creating hurdles. “The objections of lawyers representing the Muslim side has made it clear they won’t allow court to deliver an early verdict," he said.

Haji Mahboob, a litigant from the Muslim side, said, “How can anyone expect an early verdict as Supreme Court will deliver the judgment on the title suit, not on people’s sentiments.”

Meanwhile, Iqbal Ansari, key litigant from Muslim side, said, “Hindu hardliners are trying to communalise the atmosphere by blaming Muslims for the delay in judicial process and this is a very dangerous situation.”

Another litigant from Hindu side, Mahant Dhinendra Das of Nirmohi Akhara, said, “From the very beginning, we were of the opinion that we should wait for verdict.”