Sept. 30: The delivery of the verdict on the Ayodhya title suit has evoked mixed and guarded reactions from leaders cutting across the political spectrum and from the business community. The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has appealed to countrymen to remain vigilant and not let peace be disrupted.
The senior BJP leader, Mr L. K. Advani has said that the verdict is a significant step towards the building of a Ram temple. The Prime Minister has said that he has always had faith in the tradition of secularism and brotherhood. Appealing to all Indians to maintain peace, he has warned not to give into the evil designs of a few mischief makers who are out to create divisions within society. “I have full faith in the people of India. I have full confidence in the traditions of secularism and brotherhood. It is only a few mischief makers who create divisions in society,” Dr Singh said.
Mr Advani, after a meeting of the BJP’s core group read out a statement saying, “The Allahabad High Court verdict is a significant step towards building of a grand temple.” He has also added that the verdict has opened a new chapter for national integration and a new era on inter-community relations.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr Karunanidhi has said that the verdict will satisfy both the communities and is in the interest of peace. The Bihar Chief, Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar has called on all concerned to respect the verdict.
“The verdict should not be seen as anybody’s defeat or win. There should not be any reasons for jubilation or grief anywhere,” the Chief Minister has said. But as the nation was looking forward to the verdict, many Bollywood celebrities too joined the political leaders in appealing to the people to maintain peace and tranquility. Bollywood king Amitabh Bachchan in an appeal had said, Let there be peace and harmony. No religion tells us to have disputes with each other or have any type of violence. Shahrukh Khan too had said in the run-up to the judgement that, should treat this as a decision we all need to follow with the peace and love we have for each other.
Post-verdict, The Federation of Indian Chambers for Commerce and Ind-ustry(FICCI) has appealed to people to continue with their active professional lives. In a statement FICCIs president Mr Rajan Bharti Mittal has said, FICCI feels that any wide scale disturbance will geopardize the effort of economic growth, inclusion, poverty eradication and calibrated globalization, The Confederation of Indian Industry(CII)too, has welcomed the judgement and hoped that peace would prevail. The president of CII, Mr Hari S. Bhatia, has hoped that normal life would continue and that there would be no disruption to business activities.