President Erdogan made his announcement, just an hour after the court ruling was revealed, despite international warnings not to change the status of the nearly 1,500-year-old monument, revered by Christians and Muslims alike.

“The decision was taken to hand over the management of the Ayasofya Mosque…to the Religious Affairs Directorate and open it for worship,” the decision signed by Erdogan said.

Erdogan had earlier proposed restoring the mosque status of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, a focal point of both the Christian Byzantine and Muslim Ottoman empires and now one of the most visited monuments in Turkey.

The United States, Greece and church leaders were among those to express concern about changing the status of the huge 6th Century building, converted into a museum in the early days of the modern secular Turkish state under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

“It was concluded that the settlement deed allocated it as a mosque and its use outside this character is not possible legally,” the Council of State, Turkey’s top administrative court in Ankara, said in its ruling.

“The cabinet decision in 1934 that ended its use as a mosque and defined it as a museum did not comply with laws,” it said, referring to an edict signed by Ataturk.

The association which brought the court case, the latest in a 16-year legal battle, said Hagia Sophia was the property of the Ottoman leader who captured the city in 1453 and turned the already 900-year-old Byzantine church into a mosque.

Erdogan, a pious Muslim, threw his weight behind the campaign to convert the building before local elections last year.

The Ottomans built minarets alongside the vast domed structure, while inside they added huge calligraphic panels bearing the Arabic names of the early Muslim caliphs alongside the monument’s ancient Christian iconography.

The Russian Orthodox Church said it regretted that the court did not take its concerns into account when making its ruling and said the decision could lead to even greater divisions, the TASS news agency reported.
Previously, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual head of some 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide and based in Istanbul, said converting it into a mosque would disappoint Christians and would “fracture” East and West.

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“So far, 24 people staying there have been found to be coronavirus positive,” satyendra jain . “The organisers committed a grave crime, we have asked the Lieutenant Governor for toughest action,” said the minister.
Contact tracing from the gathering, which has been identified as a virus hotspot, has been given high priority by the home ministry, according to sources. Home Minister Amit Shah is being briefed daily about the developing situation.

Uttar Pradesh Police confirmed onTuesday that the search for 157 people from the state, who had participated in Tablighi Jamaat event at Markaz, Nizamuddin in Delhi is currently underway.

Assam chief minister Himata Biswa on Tuesday said that the Assam government is now in possession of a list of 299 persons who were present in and around the hotspot near Nizamuddin Dargah. “We’ve alerted dist admins to find out if these people have returned to Assam, and strict instructions issued to quarantine them if they are in the state.” he said.

Karnataka health minister B Sriramulu on Tuesday said that the government has information that around 45 people from Karnataka had taken part in the Nizamuddin congregation. The Tumkur resident (who died on March 27) is one of them, he said and added that 13 people have been traced so far.

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विवाद है लेकिन अंग्रेजो के दस्तावेजों के कारण इसे बाबरी मस्जिद ही कहा जाता है. आजादी के बाद से अब तक इस विवाद में क्या हुआ उस पर एक नजर :
23 दिसंबर 1949: करीब 50 हिंदुओं ने कथित तौर पर भगवान राम की मूर्ति रख दी.
16 जनवरी 1950: गोपाल सिंह विशारद ने फैजाबाद अदालत में एक अपील दायर कर रामलला की पूजा-अर्चना की विशेष इजाजत मांगी.
5 दिसंबर 1950: महंत परमहंस रामचंद्र दास ने हिंदू प्रार्थनाएं जारी रखने और बाबरी मस्जिद में राममूर्ति को रखने के लिए मुकदमा  निर्मोही अखाड़ा ने विवादित स्थल हस्तांतरित करने के लिए मुकदमा दायर किया. मस्जिद को ‘ढांचा’ नाम दिया गया.     17 दिसंबर 1959: निर्मोही अखाड़ा ने विवादित स्थल हस्तांतरित करने के लिए मुकदमा दायर किया.
18 दिसंबर 1961: उत्तर प्रदेश सुन्नी वक्फ बोर्ड ने बाबरी मस्जिद के मालिकाना हक के लिए मुकदमा दायर किया.
1984: विश्व हिंदू परिषद (वीएचपी) ने बाबरी मस्जिद के ताले खोलने और राम जन्मस्थान को स्वतंत्र कराने व एक विशाल मंदिर के निर्माण के लिए अभियान शुरू किया. एक समिति का गठन किया गया.
1 फरवरी 1986: फैजाबाद जिला न्यायाधीश ने विवादित स्थल पर हिदुओं को पूजा की इजाजत दी. ताले दोबारा खोले गए. नाराज मुस्लिमों ने विरोध में बाबरी मस्जिद एक्शन कमेटी का गठन किया.
जून 1989: भारतीय जनता पार्टी (बीजेपी) ने वीएचपी को औपचारिक समर्थन देना शुरू करके मंदिर आंदोलन को नया जीवन दे दिया.
1 जुलाई 1989: भगवान रामलला विराजमान नाम से पांचवा मुकदमा दाखिल किया गया।
9 नवंबर 1989: तत्कालीन प्रधानमंत्री राजीव गांधी की सरकार ने बाबरी मस्जिद के नजदीक शिलान्यास की इजाजत दी.
25 सितंबर 1990: बीजेपी अध्यक्ष लाल कृष्ण आडवाणी ने गुजरात के सोमनाथ से उत्तर प्रदेश के अयोध्या तक रथ यात्रा निकाली, जिसके बाद साम्प्रदायिक दंगे हुए.
नवंबर 1990: आडवाणी को बिहार के समस्तीपुर में गिरफ्तार कर लिया गया. बीजेपी ने तत्कालीन प्रधानमंत्री वी.पी. सिंह की सरकार से समर्थन वापस ले लिया.
अक्टूबर 1991: उत्तर प्रदेश में कल्याण सिंह सरकार ने बाबरी मस्जिद के आस-पास की 2.77 एकड़ भूमि को अपने अधिकार में ले लिया.
6 दिसंबर1992 : विवादित ढांचा गिरा दिया गया . अस्थायी मंदिर बना दिया गया.
16 दिसंबर 1992: मस्जिद की तोड़-फोड़ की जिम्मेदार स्थितियों की जांच के लिए लिब्रहान आयोग का गठन हुआ.
जनवरी 2002: प्रधानमंत्री अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी ने अपने कार्यालय में एक अयोध्या विभाग शुरू किया, जिसका काम विवाद को सुलझाने के लिए हिंदुओं और मुसलमानों से बातचीत करना था।
अप्रैल 2002: अयोध्या के विवादित स्थल पर मालिकाना हक को लेकर उच्च न्यायालय के तीन जजों की पीठ ने सुनवाई शुरू की.
मार्च-अगस्त 2003: इलाहबाद उच्च न्यायालय के निर्देशों पर भारतीय पुरातत्व सर्वेक्षण ने अयोध्या में खुदाई की. भारतीय पुरातत्व सर्वेक्षण का दावा था कि मस्जिद के नीचे मंदिर के अवशेष होने के प्रमाण मिले हैं. मुस्लिमों में इसे लेकर अलग-अलग मत थे.
सितंबर 2003: एक अदालत ने फैसला दिया कि मस्जिद के विध्वंस को उकसाने वाले सात हिंदू नेताओं को सुनवाई के लिए बुलाया जाए.
जुलाई 2009: लिब्रहान आयोग ने गठन के 17 साल बाद प्रधानमंत्री मनमोहन सिंह को अपनी रिपोर्ट सौंपी.
28 सितंबर 2010: सर्वोच्च न्यायालय ने इलाहबाद उच्च न्यायालय को विवादित मामले में फैसला देने से रोकने वाली याचिका खारिज करते हुए फैसले का मार्ग प्रशस्त किया.
30 सितंबर 2010: इलाहाबाद उच्च न्यायालय की लखनऊ पीठ ने ऐतिहासिक फैसला सुनाया. इलाहाबाद हाई कोर्ट ने विवादित जमीन को तीन हिस्सों में बांटा जिसमें एक हिस्सा राम मंदिर, दूसरा सुन्नी वक्फ बोर्ड और निर्मोही अखाड़े में जमीन बंटी.
9 मई 2011: सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने इलाहाबाद हाई कोर्ट के फैसले पर रोक लगा दी.
जुलाई 2016: बाबरी मामले के सबसे उम्रदराज वादी हाशिम अंसारी का निधन
21 मार्च 2017: सुप्रीम कोर्ट ने आपसी सहमति से विवाद सुलझाने की बात कही
अब अंतिम सुनवाई जारी नवंबर में फैसला आने की उम्मीद

The post अयोध्या विवाद. तारीख पर तारीख appeared first on newsmantra.in l Latest news on Politics, World, Bollywood, Sports, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, Trending news | News Mantra.

The surprise development came on the last day of the hearings scheduled by the five judge-constitution bench of the Supreme Court. Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, had heard arguments from the two Hindu litigants in the case – the Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas, controlled by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a front of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and the Nirmohi Akhara – as well as the Sunni Waqf Board.

It is not clear why the Sunni Waqf Board has attached to its settlement proposal.

The Nyas and the Nirmohi Akhara wanted the land for the construction of a Ram temple, claiming the site as the birthplace of the Hindu god, and the former was reportedly unwilling to accept any of the conditions that the Waqf board had mooted as part of any compromise.

Chief among these was an assurance that the Hindutva groups would drop their demands that other Muslim places of worship, especially in Mathura and Varanasi, be converted to temples.

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Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan lost his cool in the apex court as lawyer Vikas Singh, representing Hindu Mahasabha, sought to place an alleged historic map of the Ram Janmabhoomi site before the Constitution Bench. But  Dhavan loudly interjected at this point and reportedly tore up the document stating that no new evidence can be admitted in court at such an advanced stage of the suit.

The unsavoury developments upset Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi also, who objected to the courtroom decorum being disturbed.

Gogoi had earlier taken a decisive view in the ongoing hearing of the Ayodhya land dispute case and said that the Supreme Court will finish hearing the matter today by 5 pm. Gogoi, visibly irked by the lawyer of  BJP leader Subramanian Swamy who approached the bench with an urgent intervention, said, “Enough is enough. There is no more time for any intervention. All parties must finish their arguments by 5 pm today,” adding that nobody apart from the recognised parties in the case will be allowed to speak in the court today.

Gogoi’s comments came amid some confusion resulting from media reports that the Sunni Waqf Board was planning to withdraw its claim from India’s oldest title suit. However, later reports clarified that the waqf  board has not yet made any such appeal to the bench.

The court is running a tight deadline to finish hearing the came, and to come up with judgment because the current CJI, also the head of the Constitution Bench, retires on 17 November. If the court fails to deliver a judgment before then, the entire matter will have to be heard afresh in front of a new judge as decided by the next Chief Justice of India.

The hearing in the case took place even as Section 144 of the CrPC, banning the assembly of four or more people, has been imposed in Ayodhya district and surrounding areas in Uttar Pradesh till 10 December, in anticipation of the judgment in the case.

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“There are 55-60 mosques in Ayodhya alone. But for Hindus, it is the birth place of Lord Ram…we can’t change the birthplace,” K Parasaran told the top court. Insisting that the construction of a mosque at the site was a “historic wrong.

Appearing for ‘Ram Lalla Virajman‘, mr Paraaran said Hindus had fought for centuries for the place believed to be the birthplace of Ram.

The five-judge Constitution bench, which is headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi,closely question Mr Parasaran on various technicalities. Including the law of limitation and doctrine of adverse possession.

At the conclusion of its questioning, the Chief Justice turned to Rajeev Dhavan, who is representing the Muslim petitioners. And, in a lighter tone, asked him if he was satisfied with the court’s queries.

“Mr Dhavan, are we asking sufficient number of questions to the Hindu parties now?”. The Chief Justice said, “We are saying this on a lighter note. Not everything has to be taken seriously.

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“Don’t go into legitimacy of ruler’s action. It is not for Your Lordships to rewrite history, (it) will open a Pandora’s Box. What law will you apply to Babur? If Babur gets involved, Ashoka’s action will also be judged,” senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for the Muslim parties told .

The senior lawyer said a mosque will always stay a mosque and even demolition won’t take away the character of the mosque. “The demolished structure at Ayodhya is still a mosque,” he said.

Muslim respondents in the Ayodhya case contended today that there was no claim for the title in the Ayodhya land by the Hindus until 1989 and want the restoration of Babri Masjid as it stood before demolition in 1992. “We are entitled to restoration of the building as it stood as on 5-12-1992,” the petitioners told the court.

The Muslims never lost the title and the claim of title by Hindus in 1886 was denied, the petitioners led by the Sunni Wakf Board maintained at the 38th day’s hearing in the Ayodhya title suit at the Supreme Court.

Justice DY Chandrachud, who was part of the five-judge bench hearing the case, disagreed, saying, “The possession of the outer courtyard with them (the Hindus) continuously and documents show that”.

“Hindus can’t claim the outer courtyard. All facts show the Hindus have the right to pray and not possession,” argued Rajeev Dhavan, who was representing the Muslim petitioners.

When Justice Chandrachud suggested that evidence shows bairagis (mendicants) were staying at the outer courtyard and “there were complaints from your side”, Mr Dhavan said, “All questions are directed to us (Muslim side) only and not to the other (Hindu) side”.

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Meanwhile  Prohibitory orders under Section 144, which bans the assembly of four or more persons, have been issued in Ayodhya. The order, which came into effect late on Saturday night extends to December 10 and was passed “in anticipation of verdict in Ayodhya land case in SC.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) expressed disappointment over the order and has sought permission to light earthen lamps at the disputed site on Diwali. Now all eyes on SC verdict in a long pending case which will larger impact .

Fourteen appeals have been filed in the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment  that the 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among the three parties — the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

Initially, as many as five lawsuits were filed in the lower court. The first one was filed by Gopal Singh  Visharad, a devotee of ‘Ram Lalla’, in 1950 to seek enforcement of the right to worship of Hindus at the disputed site.

Later, the Nirmohi Akahara also moved the trial court in 1959 seeking management and ‘shebaiti‘ (devotee) rights over the 2.77 acre disputed land.

Then came the lawsuit of the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Wakf Board which moved the court in 1961, claiming title over the disputed property.

The deity, ‘Ram Lalla Virajman‘ through next friend and former Allahabad High Court judge Deoki Nandan  Agrawal, and the Janambhoomi (the birthplace) moved the lawsuit in 1989, seeking title over the entire disputed property on the key ground that the land itself has the character of the deity and of a ‘Juristic entity’.

Later, all the lawsuits were transferred to the Allahabad High Court for adjudication after the demolition of the disputed Ram Janambhoomi-Babri masjid structure on December 6, 1992, sparking communal riots in the country.

Earlier, the bench, also comprising justices S A Bobde, D Y Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer, had said it would wrap up the hearing by October 17, a day sooner than the earlier schedule.

Fixing the schedule for the last leg of the lengthy arguments, it had said that the Muslim side would complete the arguments on October 14 and then, two days would be granted to the Hindu parties to sum up their rejoinders by October 16.

October 17 would be the last day for wrapping up the hearing when the parties will have to make the last arguments about the relief they are seeking, the court had said. The bench had earlier fixed the deadline of October 18 to close the hearing.

The judgment in the matter is to be pronounced by November 17, the day the Chief Justice of India will  demit the office.

The apex court had on August 6 commenced day-to-day proceedings in the case as the mediation proceedings initiated to find the amicable resolution had failed.

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