The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition to conduct puja in temples built on the undisputed Ayodhya land. It asked why somebody should always have to “poke” trouble when mediation to usher in peace in the prolonged dispute was on.
The court was hearing an appeal filed against the January 10 order of the Lucknow Bench, which had dismissed the plea seeking its nod to offer prayer in the nine temples there.
“You will not let this country live in peace... Somebody has to always poke,” Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, heading a three-judge Bench, told counsel for the petitioner Pandit Amarnath Misra. Advocate V.K. Biju, for Mr. Misra, responded that his client had reached out to several Muslim organisations to build a consensus.
“All the organisations have agreed that they have nothing to do with the undisputed temples situated in the acquired land, and therefore the persons concerned can conduct the pooja in the temples. The petitioner is of the bona fide belief that in case he is given an opportunity, he will be able to convince people of different sects, groups and organisations to reach a consensus,” Mr. Biju argued. But the court refused to entertain the petition. “The petition is dismissed…there is a process of mediation already going on,” the Chief Justice said.
The court also refused to withdraw a order of the Lucknow Bench imposing ₹5 lakh in costs on Mr. Misra.
(With PTI inputs)
