Babri case lost its relevance after 2019 Supreme Court verdict: Shiv Sena

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said the Babri masjid demolition case lost its relevance after the Supreme court settled the Ram Janmabhoomi title suit in 2019 even as he welcomed the special court's verdict acquitting all the 32 accused in the case.

Speaking to reporters, Raut said the demolition episode needed to be forgotten now.

The court in Lucknow has acquitted the accused, including BJP veterans L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, saying there was no conclusive proof against them.

"The (demolition) case in the special court lost its relevance after the supreme court's verdict on Ram temple and bhoomi pujan of the temple performed by prime minister (in August)," Raut said.

"This verdict was expected. I, on behalf of Shiv Sena and party president Uddhav Thackeray, welcome this decision of the court," he added.

Also read: Non-Congress opposition, Muslim leaders demand CBI appeal against Babri Masjid demoliton verdict

Raut also said that had Babri (mosque) not been razed, the 'bhoomi pujan' of Ram temple in Ayodhya wouldn't have been possible.

"...We have to forget that episode now," he added.

In its final judgement in the Ayodhya dispute case, the supreme court on November 9 last year ordered the disputed land be handed over to a trust to build the Ram temple.

The top court also ordered the government to give an alternative 5 acres of land in another place to the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board for the purpose of building a mosque.