As the long pending Ayodhya verdict was handed down on Saturday, the country has been witness to mixed opinions about the judgment. While most Indians welcomed the verdict, a few did not accept the judgment. DC presents a sampling of the opinions of youngsters of Chennai, besides celebrities from the film world and fashionistas.
The current verdict has incentivised the behaviour of destruction in the hope of getting a verdict in their favour. When the judgment has mentioned that the destruction was wrong and the placing of idols in the site was wrong, the judgment favoured the wrongdoers with the argument stating that there was a temple centuries ago. As government land it should have been converted to a tourist spot like Mahabalipuram, where all can visit but no one can claim possession. There would have been extra revenue for the government which would have helped so many more people also.
— Naveen Kumar, IT employee
Patricia Thomas
While I respect the Supreme Court verdict, I personally think in matters such as this causing so much division and hatred among people, it could have been protected as a neutral place for a hospital or university... and allotted land to both parties to build their places of worship. Even if it is not true, the verdict will always be viewed as not being fair to one side."
— Patricia Thomas, Socialite
Anahata
I am of the opinion that if history (religious or factual) is still hurting, then the people living in this day and age should find a tangential, yet secular solution that prevents the past from affecting the present any further. I have a lot of friends who come from many different faiths, including Islam and Hinduism... I love them all equally. We belong to a secular nation. Our solutions should reflect that ethos.
We cannot go back to our factional / feudal / religious / ritualistic past to find solutions. Everyone must feel safe and included and have the freedom to practice their own faiths as long as they are able to respect each other.
With regard to the Ayodhya issue, it is basically a turf war, and does not actually serve anybody's spiritual needs, but a public tree park will help the earth and the people of all faiths. The past is the past, India needs to learn that. We cannot live in the glory of our past, rather we need to give glory to our present. We need to be a more happy, understanding and inclusive people.
— Anahata, Photographer
This is a great verdict both, fair and just, The apex court had gone in detail into the facts of the case and issues involved. The apex court mostly relied on an ASI report, which authenticates a solid building having been there, but offered no proof of any masjid built on that building. But it is a fair judgment, giving the land back to build a temple, and also protecting the interest of Muslim brethren, by giving five acres of land to them, The Hindus claim that place as Ram janmabhomi whereas there was only a masjid and hence there no harm in building a place for prayer elsewhere in the same town, everybody's interest is protected. This is a secular Landmark judgment in the asnals of the apex court
—Ananthanarayanan, Lawyer
Sudha Ramalingam
The judgement does not help people to move on. This case is not just a simple title suit. Given the present political climate, this judgement would make Muslims feel sidelined. Further recourse to review / curative petitions are available. Hence this cannot be considered the final decision. It is far too early to make a nuanced legal analysis of 1045 pages of the judgment. Hope the fights are only in courts and not on the streets. Let no blood be shed or loss of life on this issue.
—Sudha Ramalingam, Senior Advocate
Ram C
Honestly, one must accept the unanimous verdict of the Supreme Court regarding the Ayodhya and move on now. Our country has lots of upcoming challenges - Political and Economic - and we must focus on overcoming those challenges. At the same time, we are one nation and one thing we can brag about in the global arena is our unity in diversity. Along with the Ram Temple construction, the court has directed the government to allocate 5 acres of land to the Muslim community which should be appreciated. Our government should come up with a plan of constructing a huge mosque as well along with the Ram Temple and show to the world that life is all about coexistence.
— Ram C, Actor
