Congress hails, CPM questions its 'nature'

“The judgment that was keenly awaited, that is important for the whole Indian society, that was very sensitive, we should all welcome it,” the AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters in Delhi immediately after the judgment was announced in Lucknow.

“If anyone has any reservations over the verdict, the way of Supreme Court is open for petitioner or organisations concerned,” he said.

“Everyone should respect the High Court verdict and nothing should be done to disturb harmony and peace. Showing any hurry and hurting sentiments will not be appropriate,” Dwivedi said.

He said the Congress was always for either a negotiated settlement or a court decision on the issue.

Another AICC general secretary, Digvijay Singh, also appealed for respecting the verdict, saying: “As the different political parties could not come to an proper agreement on Ayodhya, we have to respect the court’s verdict on Ayodhya.”

The Left parties welcomed the judgment but the CPM said that the judicial process should go on and energy should not be wasted in settling the matter outside the courts.

“In our Constitutional, secular, democratic system, the judicial process that includes recourse to the Supreme Court should be the only way to resolve the issue,” a party statement said.

However, it added that “there may be questions on the nature of the verdict” after it was fully studied.

The party has appealed to people to maintain peace and communal harmony and not fall prey to any provocations.