GUWAHATI, Nov 9 - Following the Supreme Court�s verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute today, major political parties in the State urged everyone to maintain peace and amity and to desist from any action that may hurt the social fabric.
The State units of a few national political parties refrained from coming out with any separate comments on the verdict and they instead released statements issued by their respective central committees.
�We welcome the verdict of the Supreme Court,� said State BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass.
He said the judgement has come after a long drawn legal process and the apex court has considered all arguments and evidence.
�Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this is the time for all Indians to work unitedly to make the country strong by rising above religious and sectarian differences... This is not a case of victory or defeat for any side,� said Dass.
The State BJP called upon citizens to maintain calm and amity and urged all to ensure that feelings and sentiments of none are hurt.
The State unit of the Congress party followed the directions issued by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) and desisted from making any comments except releasing the statement issued by the central leadership.
�The Indian National Congress respects the verdict of the Supreme Court in the Ayodhya case. We appeal to all the parties concerned and to all communities to abide by the secular values and spirit of fraternity enshrined in our Constitution and to maintain peace and harmony. It is the responsibility of each one of us to reaffirm our tradition of mutual respect and unity among all that has defined our society through the ages,� said the statement of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), which was read out by APCC president Ripun Bora here.
The AICC had issued an internal memo yesterday directing all functionaries, office-bearers and other leaders of the party across India not to speak before the media or give TV bytes except to communicate the official stand taken by the CWC.
Meanwhile, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) said it respects the verdict of the apex court.
�We respect the verdict of the Supreme Court. We urge the people of Assam and other states across India to maintain peace, calm, amity and brotherhood. We also urge everyone not to post or share controversial, sensitive and objectionable comments on the social media regarding the verdict and the case,� said AIUDF president and Lok Sabha MP Badruddin Ajmal.
Communist Party of India (CPI)�s Assam State Committee secretary Munin Mahanta said the long-awaited verdict on the Ayodhya dispute marks an end to a legal battle going on for decades.
�While upholding that all faiths are equal, the Apex Court has delivered this reconciliatory judgment. Our party�s view is that this should be seen in the larger perspective of ethics, justice and secularism. This should not be seen as a victory to any party or litigant and in the prevailing situation nobody should resort to any provocation,� he said, adding that the CPI has appealed to both sides and the people all over the country to maintain peace and harmony.
The state unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) forwarded a statement issued by the party�s politburo which said by the order given today the five-member Constitution bench of the Supreme Court has sought to end the dispute �which has been utilised by the communal forces and resulted in large-scale violence and loss of lives�.
�The CPI(M) has always maintained that the issue should be resolved by a judicial verdict if a negotiated settlement was not possible. While this judgment has provided a judicial resolution to this fractious issue, there are certain premises of the judgment which are questionable. The court judgment has itself stated that the demolition of Babri Masjid in December 1992 was a violation of the law. This was a criminal act and an assault on the secular principle. The cases pertaining to the demolition should be expedited and the guilty punished,� it said.
Welcoming the verdict of the Supreme Court on the Ayodhya dispute, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) said the judgement is in line with the sentiments of the whole nation.
�Our Sarsanghchalak (chief) Mohan Bhagwat has said the verdict should not be viewed from a victory or defeat angle. He has said the conclusion arrived� should be viewed and taken as a decision that will enhance the integrity and brotherhood of the entire Indian society,� said an RSS leader here.
He said the RSS believes that the time has now come to forget all controversies of the past and for everyone to work together for building a grand temple at Ayodhya.
