Opposition parties including the UPA partners NCP, RJD and Left parties in one voice welcomed the Supreme Court's landmark verdict that cleared way for the construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya and asked all to respect the judgement. The Trinamool Congress however maintained silence on the Ayodhya verdict due to "strict instruction" from the party top brass asking its leaders not to "utter a single word" on the judgement. Samajwadi Party too avoided to a comment on the verdict.
TMC's silence on the historic verdict by the Supreme Court backing the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site drew sharp reactions from the BJP and Congress. While BJP state president Dilip Ghosh dared the TMC to take a stand on the issue, West Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra advised TMC to stop beating around the bush and make clear its stand like the other mainstream political parties.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar said the apex court's unanimous decision will help address a "serious concern" before the country. "The supreme court's unanimous decision will help address a serious concern before the country. The judiciary has talked about protecting interests of all the sections of the society. It is a good thing," Pawar said.
"I urge all the people of the country that an important, landmark judgement has been given. All sections of the society should welcome and respect it," the NCP chief said and urged people to ensure peace and harmony.
He also noted that several political parties have respected the decision which is a "good thing." Pawar also said the verdict will have no bearing on Maharashtra politics and added that people may even forget the issue within two to three days.
BSP president Mayawati appealed to everyone to maintain an amicable atmosphere after the Supreme Court announced its verdict in the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case.
"While respecting the historic, unanimous decision given by the Supreme Court in relation to the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute today as per the secular Constitution of Param Pujya Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, all future action should only be taken in an amicable atmosphere. This is an appeal and suggestion," the Bahujan Samaj Party chief said in a tweet in Hindi.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav too avoided a direct comment on the Supreme Court's verdict and summed up his reaction in a couplet: " "Jo faisley faslon ko ghatatey hain, woh insaan ko behtar insaan banate hain (The decisions which bridges the gap, makes people a better human being," Yadav tweeted in Hindi.
The Samajwadi Party leader's comments assume significance as it was his father and then chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav who had ordered the Uttar Pradesh police to open fire at karsevaks gathered in Ayodhya on October 30, 1990.
The Left parties said the Supreme Court's Ayodhya verdict should not be seen as a victory for any litigant and no one should indulge in any "provocative acts" in the wake of the order. In a statement, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said while the judgment had provided a judicial resolution to this fractious issue, there are certain premises of the judgment which are "questionable".
The Communist Party of India, meanwhile, said the apex court had delivered a "reconciliatory" judgment. "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," it said.
Reacting to the judgement, former union minister and RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha said he welcomes the verdict on Ayodhya case pending for several years. "Now, it will put an end to the politics played by exploiting religious sentiment of people and ignoring development work. The government will now focus on providing education, medicine, employment, irrigation...I appeal to the countrymen to maintain peace and amity," Kushwaha tweeted.
"I respect the apex court's verdict (on Ayodhya) from the bottom of my heart. Every temple, mosque, Gurudwara, Church belong to all of us. Nothing and no one is outsider. We all are one,"
Hailing the judgment towards building of a Ram Temple, RJD leader and Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav urged the political parties that now they should pay attention to providing employment to youths besides building schools, colleges, universities and hospitals.
Former Bihar Chief Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) national president Jitan Ram Manjhi while welcoming the verdict said the judgment should neither be taken as victory or defeat by anyone.