Centre Writes To SC To Return ‘Excess’ Ayodhya Land To Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas

New Delhi: The BJP-led Central Government has filed a writ petition, requesting the Supreme Court to modify a 2003 order on a plot in Ayodhya and release the “surplus”, “non-disputed” 67 acres of land it had acquired near the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya. As mentioned in the petition, out of the 67 acres, around 0.313 acres is the disputed.

The government wants status quo removed on the excess land, which should be handed to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, a trust founded by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) for the construction of the Ram temple.

The Supreme Court had ordered status quo on 67 acres of land that was acquired by the government in 1993, a year after the 16th century Babri mosque was razed by Hindu activists who believed it was built on the ruins of an ancient temple. The centre says only 0.313 acres of the land is disputed. 

Interestingly, the ruling BJP has been under pressure from right-wing groups, its own members as well as allies like the Shiv Sena to bring an ordinance to enable the temple construction.

PM Narendra Modi, however, said that the government would wait for the judicial process to get over. “Let the judicial process be over. After the judicial process is over, whatever will be our responsibility as the government, we are ready to make all efforts,” he said in an interview to ANI earlier this month.

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