SC Stays Babri Masjid Verdict.

The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday morning stayed the verdict announced by the Allahabad High Court (HC) in September 2010 on the Ramjanmbhoomi - Babri Masjid case, describing it as 'strange'.

Justices Aftab Alam and R M Lodha stayed the HC's verdict, and directed that status quo be maintaned at the site. They expressed surprise at the content of the verdict, which trisected the disputed landed among the Sunni Wakf Board, Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha and the Nirmohi Akhara.

They explained that none of the complainants had sought partition, and that thus the verdict is 'strange' and that it shook a hornet's nest.

The SC admitted the appeals of all the litigating paties involved in the Ramjanmbhoomi - Babri Masjid case, and it has been reported that the court will regularly conduct hearings on the case henceforth.

For latecomers, the Babri Masjid case has been raging for more than 6 decades, and has been the cause of much communal violence.

The Hindus believe that the disputed site is in fact the birth-place of Lord Ram, one of the 10 avatars of the diety Vishnu, and demand that the region be handed over to the Hindu community.

The Muslims in India, on the other hand, fight for the masjid that was built during the time of Mughal Emperor Babur.

While some historians opine that an existing Ram temple was razed to the ground to make way for the mosque, other analysts say that the existing temple was extensively modified to resemble a mosque.

The controversial site was placed beyond the reach of Muslims by a government order in 1947, and a verdict passed by the Allahabad High Court in 1989 declared that the area belonged to the Hindus. However, when the Hindus sought to remodel the standing edifice, the Indian Muslims across the country vehemetly opposed this.

Another burst of communal riots over the issue in 1992 claimed 2,000 lives.

Religious issues have always been highly sensitive in India, especially if they involve both the Mulsim and the Hindu communities. All we can do is wait to see the end this particular issue will meet, if it ever does end, that is.