Ayodhya Land Dispute Live: SC bench rises for the day

16:05 August 20

Bench rises for the day

Bench rises for the day.

Hearing to continue tomorrow. 

Vaidyanathan might take another one to two hours to complete submissions.

16:02 August 20

There is no dispute that the place is the 'janmasthan' of Lord Ram, says CSV

CS Vaidyanathan says that he has presented before the court the statements of the witnesses of both the Hindu and Muslim faith and there is no dispute that the place is the 'janmasthan' (birthplace) of Lord Ram.

"The faith and belief of the Hindus were not shaken despite the construction of the Mosque on the disputed site.Moreover the witnesses of Sunni Waqf Board have also accepted the report of the Archaeological Survey of India," submits Mr. Vaidyanathan.
 

15:49 August 20

CSV presents witness Mohammad Yaseen's account

CS Vaidyanathan further points out the statement of PW4 Mohammad Yaseen who has stated that while he offered his last Namaz at the Mosque he had witnessed that the stones had images of lotus and had other features.

Justice Bobde questions whether Yaseen was a Shia or a Sunni.

Vaidyanathan says he was (Yaseen) probably a sunni Muslim.

15:17 August 20

Hearing resumes; CSV continues witnesses account

Post-lunch, CS Vaidyanathan continues to read the statements of the witnesses with regard to the performance of Namaz at the disputed site.
 

13:09 August 20

CSV presents two witnesses account, 10 more to be presented post-lunch

CS Vaidyanathan presents another witnesses account, Mahant Shri Ramchandradas (90) from Digambar akhara. He presented evidence on 20th December 1999. 

CS will present 10 more witnesses accounts post-lunch.

12:39 August 20

CSV assures credibility of ASI report and witness statement

CS Vaidyanathan: There is nothing to doubt the credibility of the report or inferences of the ASI. A temple-like structure was there. The slab is from the 12th century BC, the language used, Sanskrit, can not be disputed. 

The fact is that there has been a temple-like structure since the 12th century BC, with inscriptions stating an addition to the place of worship.  This substantiates that there was a huge temple. 

Therefore, I submit that the place is 'Ramjanmasthan' and has been the place of worship, alongside being a destination for Hindu pilgrimage.

12:14 August 20

CSV submits witnesses statements

Vaidyanathan handed over the photograph of the place from where the slab fell and which was observed by a journalist of Panchajanya.

There is no dispute as to the authenticity of the inscription on the slab but the place of recovery of the slab has always been challenged.

Witness account presented by Vaidyanathan: 

"A 3 ft long and 2 ft wide slab fell in my presence. 6 -7 other slabs also fell, they all appear similar, but later I saw that they were different. There were other journalists but can't name them" 

11:52 August 20

Vaidyanatha reads the statements of the witnesses of defendants

C S Vaidyanatha appearing for the deity Ram Lalla reads the statements of the witnesses of defendants in suit no. 4 and 5.

Vaidyanatha says that the dispute is in respect to the recovery of a piece of a slab which consists of an inscription written in 12th or 13th Century and it was recovered after the Mosque was destroyed. The slab is slightly damaged and the last two lines have been heavily damaged. The text of the inscription is written in Sanskrit.

As per the statements made by  C S Vaidyanatha, Some structure which has excavated by the archaeological survey refers to a temple in Ayodhya in 12th century between 1114- 1145 AD. It was built by a ruler of Saketmandala.

09:31 August 20

Temple destroyed to build mosque, says advocate for Ram Lalla Virajman

New Delhi: While referring to an ASI report, Ram Lalla Virajman, one of the parties in the politically-sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, said that the Hindu temple in Ayodhya was destroyed to construct a mosque at the disputed site.

Senior advocate C S Vaidyanathan, appearing for the deity, told the court that the ASI's report refers to figures of crocodiles and tortoise, which were alien to the Muslim culture.

The submissions were made during the eighth day of the hearing in the case before a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi. The senior advocate is referring to other archaeological evidence from the ASI's report to buttress claims that the disputed area had a Hindu temple.

The hearing is underway before the bench also comprising justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer.