Congress cant trust BJP on Ayodhya Case Verdict

The Congress on Monday announced that it wont trust the saffron brigade on Ayodhya, despite the BJP and the RSS reportedly “ downplaying” the impending Babri Masjid- Ram Janmabhoomi verdict from the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court.

“We cannot trust the BJP, the RSS and the VHP. In 1992, we made our biggest mistake when we accepted their affidavit... I have come to know that they are making preparations and they could do anything,” said Digvijay Singh, the AICC general secretary in- charge of Uttar Pradesh.

Singh said he has information that some fundamentalist elements could try to create trouble after the verdict and the Congress has directed all the MPs and MLAs to be in their respective constituencies to maintain communal harmony.

He said the saffrons organisations strategy could be gauged when L. K. Advani visits Somnath later this week. “ I am waiting for his statement from Somnath on September 25.” Singh, a former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, also advised incumbent Shivraj Singh Chauhan of the BJP that he should control overzealous workers.

Judge differs on Penalty One of the three judges hearing the Babri Masjid- Ram Janmabhoomi case on Monday expressed his disagreement with the two other judges over the penalty imposed to an applicant who had sought more time for an out- of- court settlement.

Hearing the application of Ramesh Chandra Tripathi to postpone the verdict, Allahabad High Court justices S. U. Khan and Sudhir Agarwal observed on September 17 that a penalty of Rs 5 lakh be slapped on him for wasting the courts time. But they eventually reduced the penalty to Rs 50,000.

The two judges had also denied more time for an amicable settlement.

Justice Dharam Veer Sharma, who was not present during the hearing, said: “ I respectfully disagree with the views taken by two brother judges. There is no provision under the law through which a penalty of Rs 50,000 can be imposed for making the application to relegate the matter for mediation under Section 89 Civil Procedure Code ( CPC).” “ According to Section 35- A CPC, the imposition of penalty cannot exceed Rs 3,000. I am sorry to state that at the time of passing the order I was not consulted.

Otherwise, I would have given my views to the honorable brother judges,” he said.

“ Thus, looking at the application from all or any angle, the only direction is required to be given in the application moved under Section 89 CPC is that the parties are free to resolve their dispute amicably, compromise before the date of delivery of the judgment and at this stage no interference of the court is required.

Defendant Number 17 ( Tripathi) is not required to pay Rs 50,000,” he added.