Ayodhya residents welcome SC's suggestion on Ram temple issue

Ayodhya: The residents of Ayodhya have welcomed the Supreme Court's suggestion for an out-of-court settlement of the lingering Ram Janambhumi-Babri Masjid land dispute.

Welcoming the Supreme Court's suggestion, Haji Asad, a corporator of Ayodhya, said, "This is high time that both the parties must come out with a peaceful settlement to Babri Masjid-Ram Janambhumi dispute...The settlement must have provision for both temple and mosque so that no community feels defeated."

Maulana Tabrez Ahmad, a local cleric, said, "Enough is enough. We don't want to fight. In Ayodhya, both Hindus and Muslims are living together and only due to this Mandir-Masjid dispute, both communities are facing problem. I am very thankful to the judges who have taken such an initiative."

Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of Ram Janambhumi temple, also welcomed the Supreme Court's move.

"This is a great chance for both the parties to sit and bring out a peaceful settlement to this century-old dispute...But there are some people who don't want a settlement to this dispute, we must ignore them," he said.

Raziya Bano, a housewife, said, "I pray to almighty to help the people and the court to bring a peaceful solution... Due to this dispute, we always face problems in marrying off our children. When we were looking a bride for my son, many parents of girls refused the match only because we live in Ayodhya and in Ayodhya there is the dispute of Babri Masjid."

Mohammad Noman, a 20-year-old student, said, "I have not seen the Babri Masjid...if we can find a peaceful solution to this dispute, then we can give a great example of peaceful coexistence and communal harmony to the rest of the world."

Mushtaq Ahmad Siddiqi, a senior lawyer who pleaded the case in the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, said, "I will be the first man to welcome the settlement, but it must be based on 'give and take' so that no community feels losing out."