Ayodhya dispute: Congress furthers war of words with BJP

New Delhi [India], Dec 5 (ANI): The Congress Party on Tuesday furthered the war of words with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said it was raking up non-issues just to garner votes.

"Congress' stand has always been clear, that the Ayodhya matter will be heard and decided by the Supreme Court. The same has been said by the Law Minister many times. BJP chief Amit Shah is trying to garner votes in the name of Lord Rama. The BJP is playing the role of 'Manthara', raking up Kapil Sibal's stand on the hearing," Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said, while addressing the media.

Senior advocate and Congress leader Kapil Sibal, who is representing the Sunni Waqf Board in the ongoing hearing of the long-standing Ayodhya dispute, wanted the matter to be heard only in July 2019, after the completion of the next Lok Sabha polls citing political ramifications.

To this end, Surjewala said, "Who he represents in the court is Kapil Sibal's personal matter, the Congress Party has got nothing to do with it. Arun Jaitley ji was the lawyer in the Bhopal gas tragedy matter. Does that mean the whole of the BJP is to be blamed?"

Surjewala's attack at the BJP comes after Amit Shah, in a press briefing, took a potshot at the Congress Party and its vice president, Rahul Gandhi, for adopting 'double standard' in the matter.

Addressing the media in Ahmedabad, Shah said Rahul was visiting temples in Gujarat, while on the other hand Congress leader Kapil Sibbal wanted to delay the Ram Janmbhoomi case.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court, however, deferred the commencement of final hearing in the Ayodhya dispute matter to February 8, 2018. The top court was hearing the matter today filed by various parties.

The first hearing was set a day before the 25th anniversary of the demolition of medieval-era mosque, Babri Masjid.

According to reports, the top court was hearing a total of 13 appeals filed against the 2010 judgement of the Allahabad High Court in four civil suits.

The stakeholders in the case had moved the apex court after the Allahabad HC directed the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and the Lord Ram Lalla to settle for a three-way division of the disputed site.

The Babri Masjid was built by Mughal emperor Babur in Ayodhya in 1528.

The Hindus, however, claim that a Ram temple that originally stood there was demolished to construct the mosque. Citing this, Hindu zealots demolished the mosque on December 06, 1992, triggering communal riots in various parts of the country.

Meanwhile, today, a Delhi court will deliver its verdict in connection with the terrorist attack on the makeshift Ram Temple in Ayodhya in 2005. (ANI)