Ok. So the verdict is out. I have been glued to the television and have been following every reputable network to get an all round coverage of the judgement. For those of you who've missed it, here's the synopsis. I will not be passing any opinions, just presenting the case from both sides.

Now to answer the questions as they are.

1. What's the judgement?

At an elemental level, the core of the judgement says that the disputed land is to be divided into 3 parts, each going to Ram Lalla, the Nirmohi Akhara and the Sunni Wakf Board. Also, the land that was immediately under the dome, where the Ram Lalla idol was placed, IS the birthplace of Lord Ram and the HC identifies it as the Ram Janmabhoomi, a holy place for the Hindus.

2. Who's got the major benefit of the judgement?

Definitely the Hindu factions, comprising of Ram Lalla(a trust will be made by the court for the Lord) and the Nirmohi Akhara, are the major benefactors of the judgement.

3. What exactly happened?

The major turnaround for the issue was the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992 by the BJP Kar Sevaks, who claimed that the Mosque was built on land that previously had a Ram Mandir.

4. How true is this claim?

The court seems to have taken the ASI report as evidence to support this claim. The ASI report claimed that after archeological findings, it was certain that there WAS a grand Temple that stood at the disputed site. Supposedly, Babar demolished this structure and built the Masjid(year unknown), which the Hindu factions saw as unlawful and illegal.

5. What the court says?

The court has upheld this claim and has clearly stated that the Babri Masjid that stood there, was in fact not a mosque in the first place according to the tenets of Islam. According to Islam, no mosque can be built on a land that has been unlawfully acquired. So if there indeed was a temple at the site, as the ASI report suggests, then clearly the Babri Masjid was never a place of worship.

6. How the Hindu party sees it?

They are more or less happy with the judgement, with a few lawyers asking for moving the case to the Supreme Court, as they feel that the entire land must go to the Hindus.

7.How the Sunni Wakf board sees it?

They are partly disappointed and in all probability WILL move the Supreme Court. The only reprieve that the court has given them is awarding of 1/3rd of the disputed land to them. Another point that the Board will pick up is the acceptance by the court of the fact that the Ram Lalla idol was placed in the Masjid on the intervening night of 22-23rd December, 1949. According to them, the mosque was fully functional for many years and just because the idol was placed in 1949, the court cannot consider that space as the Janmbhoomi.

8.Why exactly did the Muslim party lose out?

The major reason why the suit filed by the Wakf board was dismissed was due to the issue of limitation. The Ram Lalla idol was placed in 1949, but the Wakf board went to court only in the year 1961. According to the law, any illegal land acquisition must be reported within 6 years of the acquisition. But the Wakf Board took 12 years, because of which their suit was dismissed.

10. Who will divide the land? What happens now?

The land division will be done by the HC through the established procedures.
As is evident, one or both parties will move the Supreme Court to contest the HC judgement. All in all, it is nobody's victory or loss and is NOT the final word on the issue.


Stay tuned to the news channels for any developments(the saner ones :P).

Religion is always a big issue in India, and people will use it for their ulterior motives. And as far as this issue goes, it refuses to die down.

*sigh