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Apex court verdict on Ayodhya final, says Vajpayee

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Monday said that the Constitution, and rule of law, was supreme for his government on the contentious Ayodhya issue.

Assuring the Lok Sabha that his government would at all costs abide by and implement the verdict of the courts, Vajpayee said it was regrettable that members were reacting to rumours in the media about construction activity at the site.

The government was awaiting the verdict of the court, the prime minister said, adding that any attempt to go against the law, by any person or organisation, would be taken care of under the provisions of the law.

The Ayodhya issue has been pending in court for a long time now and should be disposed of quickly, he added.

Asking Parliament to repose confidence in his assurances, Vajpayee said his government would under no circumstances allow any violation of the law. Describing the demolition of the Babri Masjid as unfortunate and an accident, he said that in his opinion, it should not have happened.

In a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Vajpayee said that if the Supreme Court paved the way for the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya, then and only then would construction be permitted. ''If the apex court gave a contrary ruling, my government will perform its Constitutional duty of ensuring that nobody acts against that verdict,'' the prime minister said in the letter.

The PM's letter was a response to Sonia's letter seeking the government's views on the Ram temple issue, in light of media reports that such a temple was being pre-fabricated at various locations and would be erected shortly at the disputed site.

"I do hope you are also aware of the very specific statements made by leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad that they are ready to go ahead with the building of the temple within a specified time-frame," Sonia had written in her letter. "Recent media reports in various newspapers and magazines suggested that a pre-fabricated structure will be raised and all preparations in this regard are going on in full swing in some parts of the country.''

The prime minister said he would not comment on the media reports. ''All I will say -- and I will say it with all strength at my command -- is that my government will not allow any organisation to violate the sanctity of the judicial process,'' he said.

Referring to the absence of the Ayodhya issue from the National Agenda, Vajpayee said the BJP and its allies had unanimously decided to keep the Ayodhya issue out of the agenda, given their commitment to national security, communal harmony and socio-economic development. ''We did so also out of profound faith in the wisdom of the Indian people to sort out all contentious issues amicably in conditions of stable peace and all-round development,'' he said in his letter.

The PM in his letter to the Congress president said "competitive politics" should not make any political party lose sight of these national imperatives. ''I hope to receive your party's co-operation in furthering these goals in conditions of political stability, which our country needs so badly.''

Vishwa Hindu Parishad secretary general Giriraj Kishore, meanwhile, issued a media statement to the effect that construction work on a Ram temple in Ayodhya would be carried out in an 'amicable and congenial atmosphere' or through a 'favourable' court judgment.

Kishore said the VHP was quite hopeful of such a verdict on the issue, which is now pending before the Supreme Court. The VHP leader said that stone carving was taking place in Rajasthan and Ayodhya, but far away from the disputed site.

UNI

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