'Faith, evidence prove Masjid was on Ram's birthplace'

One of the five judges of the Supreme Court on Saturday held that the faith and belief of Hindus, along with oral and documentary evidences, proved that the place where Babri Masjid was built in 1528 in Ayodhya, has always been the birthplace of Lord Ram.

In the addendum to the main judgement by the bench, one of judges, whose name was not specified, recorded his separate reasons to decide the issue whether disputed structure is the holy birthplace of Lord Ram as per the faith, belief and trust of the Hindus in their favour.

“Faith and belief of Hindus since prior to construction of mosque and subsequent thereto has always been that Janmaasthan of Lord Ram is the place where Babri Mosque has been constructed which is proved by documentary and oral evidence,” the court said.

The court said it was only during the British period that grilled wall was constructed dividing the walled premises of the Mosque into inner courtyard and outer courtyard.

It found that the statements noted in all Gazetteers published under authority of government “categorically and unanimously” stated that at Janmasthan of Lord Ram, Babri Mosque was constructed in 1528 by Babar, which the Muslim side could not disprove it.

Relying upon oral evidence of witnesses Mohd Qasim, Mohd Yaseen and Haji Mehboob Ahmed and others the court said those clearly supported the faith and belief of Hindus that Lord Ram was born at the place where Babri Mosque has been constructed.

“The conclusion that place of birth of Lord Ram is the three-dome structure can, therefore, be reached,” it said.

The reference of Babri Mosque as janamsthan Masjid in several applications also indicated that it was situated at the janamsthan of Lord Ram.

“The faith and belief of Hindus regarding location of birthplace of Lord Ram is from scriptures and sacred religious books including Valmiki Ramayana and Skanda Purana cannot be held to be groundless,” the court said.

It also cited the Ramacharitmanasa, the Ain-i-Akbari, which "unmistakeably" referred Ayodhya as one of the holiest places of antiquity.

It also relied upon accounts of travellers William Finch and Father Joseph Tieffenthaler (1766-1771), besides East India Gazetteer of Walter Hamilton, first published in 1828, History, Antiquities, Topography and Statistics of Eastern India (1838), Edward Thornton “Gazetteer of India” (1854) and book Hadith-e-Sehba by Mirza Jaan in 1856.