Yogi Adityanath says Ayodhya dispute could have been settled through talks

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said a negotiated settlement of the Ayodhya dispute would have been preferable to a Supreme Court ruling. His comments came hours after a five-judge Constitution bench hearing the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title case on Wednesday set October 18 as the target for ending the hearings.

Adityanath’s remarks

In an interview with News18 Network’s Rahul Joshi, Adityanath said it would have been good if the Muslim community had taken the initiative to resolve the matter during the time the court allowed for mediation, but that had not happened. He said solutions come from positive thinking, and when sides are stubborn, only the court can decide.

He said the state government respects the court and would abide by its verdict, adding that the decision would rest on facts and evidence and that Uttar Pradesh had followed the court’s rulings before.

The court’s timeline

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said: “Let us make a joint effort to conclude the same by October 18.”

Background

In March, the Supreme Court sent the dispute to mediation. A three-member panel, led by former Supreme Court judge FM Kalifullah and including Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior lawyer Sriram Panchu, was expected to complete its work in eight weeks, between March 15 and May 15. Media coverage of the talks was barred to keep them confidential.

Fourteen appeals are before the court against the Allahabad High Court’s 2010 judgment in four civil suits, which divided the 2.77-acre site equally between three parties: Ram Lalla, the Nirmohi Akhara and the Sunni Waqf Board.

What happened next

The Supreme Court delivered its Ayodhya judgment on 9 November 2019. The Ram temple in Ayodhya was consecrated on 22 January 2024.

See also: political leaders and Bharatiya Janata Party.

Originally published on 19 September 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us