Congress adopted double standard' in Ayodhya dispute, says Amit Shah

Ahmedabad: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Amit Shah on Tuesday took a potshot at the Congress Party and its vice president, Rahul Gandhi, for adopting double standard in the matter of Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute.

Addressing the media in Ahmedabad, Shah said Rahul was visiting temples in Gujarat, while on the other hand Congress leader Kapil Sibal wanted to delay the Ram Janmbhoomi case.

"Rahul ji is visiting temples in Gujarat while on the other hand Kapil Sibal wants to delay the Ram Janmbhoomi case. Congress should give a clarification on the double standard. I also appeal Rahul ji to tell us what his view on this is," the BJP chief said.

Shah further hit out at the Congress Party for deferring the case when everyone wanted an early resolution of the issue.

"A surprising stand was taken in the Supreme Court by Congress leader and Sunni Waqf Board lawyer Kapil Sibal ji. He said hearing should be deferred till after 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The Congress Party should clear its stand if it wants to resolve the matter as early as possible or not," he added.

The apex court, earlier in the day, decided to hear the civil appeals filed by various parties challenging the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict on the matter on February 8 next year.

Sibal told the three-judge bench of the court that all the exhibits were not filed before the top court adding that "he and other petitioners have not been served relevant documents of pleadings."

He also requested the apex court to take this matter up on July 15, 2019, once all the pleadings are complete.

According to reports, the top court was hearing a total of 13 appeals filed against the 2010 judgement of the Allahabad High Court in four civil suits.

The high court had then ruled a three-way division of the disputed area at Ayodhya among the parties- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and the Lord Ram Lalla.