Guwahati: Despite being invited as a VVIP guest, the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Ranjan Gogoi did not attend the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya Ram Mandir on Monday. It may be recalled that on November 9, 2019, the five-member Constitutional Bench, including Justice Ashok Bhushan, SA Bobde, S Abdul Nazir and DY Chandrachud headed by then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, delivered the final verdict on the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The five judges were invited to the function at the Ram Temple on Monday.
Significantly, only Ashok Bhushan was present at the event. Former Chief Justice and current Rajya Sabha MP Ranjan Gogoi was busy in Guwahati. According to sources, Gogoi was busy with the work of a voluntary organisation named after his mother and was unable to attend the ceremony in Ayodhya.
The Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute persisted in the legal system for many years. Several court cases followed by Hindu and Muslim factions vying for territory ownership. In addition to allocating the contested land for the construction of the Ram temple, the Supreme Court's final decision in November 2019 also provided an alternate plot for the construction of a mosque.
Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi thanked the country's judiciary. "The legal battle over the existence of Lord Ram went on for decades. I would like to express my gratitude to the judiciary for rendering justice," he added. The idol of Lord Ram was consecrated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. The event was watched by lakhs of people on television sets at their homes and in temples across the country.
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