Introduction
The Ayodhya dispute revolves around the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India. The controversy stems from the belief by Hindus that the site is the birthplace of Lord Ram, one of the most revered figures in Hinduism. However, in the 16th century, the Mughal Emperor Babur built a mosque, known as the Babri Masjid, at the same location.

The dispute escalated over the years, leading to communal tensions and eventually the demolition of the Babri Masjid by Hindu extremists on December 6, 1992. This event sparked nationwide riots and significantly strained Hindu-Muslim relations in India.

Subsequently, legal battles ensued over the ownership and control of the site. Various parties, including Hindu and Muslim groups, staked claims to the land. The case went through different stages in the Indian legal system, including the High Court and the Supreme Court.

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Ayodhya dispute: The complex legal history of India’s holy site

The Ayodhya dispute, which stretches back more than a century, is one of India’s thorniest court cases and goes to the heart of its identity politics.

What is the row actually about?

The Ayodhya dispute has been a deeply entrenched issue in India’s socio-political landscape for over a century, rooted in the competing religious beliefs and historical narratives of Hindus and Muslims. Hindus regard Ayodhya as the birthplace of Lord Ram, one of their most revered deities, while Muslims assert their right to worship at the site, where the Babri Masjid once stood.

Central to the conflict is the Babri Masjid, a 16th-century mosque that was demolished by Hindu mobs in 1992, leading to widespread riots and communal violence. The demolition intensified tensions between the two communities, resulting in numerous legal battles over the control and ownership of the site.

The legal saga reached a significant milestone with the Supreme Court’s verdict on November 9, 2019, which ruled in favor of the Hindu litigants, granting them control of the disputed land to build a temple dedicated to Lord Ram. The court directed the government to allocate an alternative plot of land to the Muslim community for the construction of a mosque.

This verdict marked the culmination of decades of legal wrangling and complex legal proceedings, including a title dispute case filed in the Allahabad High Court in 2002. The High Court’s verdict in 2010 divided the disputed land into three parts, with each party receiving a share, but was later suspended by the Supreme Court in 2011.

Important legal developments, such as the Supreme Court’s observation in 1994 that the mosque was not integral to Islam, and subsequent pleas for review, further shaped the legal trajectory of the case. The 2019 verdict cited evidence from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to support its decision and emphasized the need for adherence to the rule of law, condemning the demolition of the Babri Masjid.

In conclusion, the Ayodhya dispute underscores the complexities of identity politics and religious pluralism in India. While the legal resolution has provided closure to some extent, the ramifications of the verdict continue to reverberate, highlighting the enduring challenges of communal harmony and secularism in the country.

“2 Crores To 18 Crores In Minutes”: Ram Temple Trust Accused Of Land Scam

The Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claim the transaction took place in March this year.

What are the Allegations on scam?

Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh along with Samajwadi Party leader Pawan Pandey levelled allegations of corruption in the land purchase accusing the trust’s general secretary Champat Rai of purchasing a piece of land that is worth Rs 2 Crore at an inflated price of Rs 18.5 Crore. They went on to call this a case of money laundering and requested for a probe into the land purchase for the temple premise by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) and the ED (Enforcement Directorate). 

According to the AAP leader, Sultan Ansari purchased the land measuring 1.208 hectares on 18th March this year, from the owner Kusum Pathak for 2 crores. Minutes later Champat Rai, with the help of Trust’s members bought the same land in Bag Bjaisi village that falls under the Sadar Tehsil of Ayodhya district, for a price of Rs 18.5 crore from Sultan Ansari. They alleged that both the land agreements that took place within 10 minutes had the same witnesses, Ayodhya Mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay and a Trust member Anil Mishra.

Sanjay Singh stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government should take steps and initiate a thorough investigation by the CBI and the ED, and that the people involved in this corruption should be put behind bars as it is a question of faith of crores of devotees of Lord Ram, who have contributed their hard-earned money for the construction of the temple. 

At a press conference in Ayodhya, Pawan Pandey said that the piece of land was purchased at 2 crores in the presence of the witnesses, and asked whether the land start giving out gold that it was bought at such a high price, in just a few minutes?

Ram Temple Slams All Allegations

A day after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust faced allegations of financial corruption that is worth several crores, the trust refused all the allegations against them and said that it had carried out the deal with great transparency and alacrity. In a statement, the Trust clarified that the sellers had executed contracts in their favour and a total of 9 people were involved in the plot’s purchase deal for the last 10 years. 

• In March, 2011, four men signed an agreement with Kusum Pathak and her husband to sell the land for Rs 1 crore. This deal was valid till 2014. 
• Again, in November,2017 the same four people registered another sale deed to the sellers for Rs 2 crore. 
• This agreement was cancelled on September,2019 and on the same day Kusum Pathak and her husband signed another agreement to sell the plot which was valid for three years. 
• The last agreement was registered to be cancelled on 18th March,2021 and on that day Ansari and Tiwari bought the land with an amount of Rs 2 crore. 
• Ansari and Tiwari entered into an agreement to sell that land to the trust for Rs 18.5 crore out of which Rs 17 crore was paid in advance via online transaction. 

They sold the land to the Trust after the Bainama on 18th March. According to the secretary Rai, after the order of the Supreme Court, a lot of people showed up to Ayodhya in order to purchase land and as the UP Government is also purchasing a lot of land for development works, the price of the land suddenly increased. 

Moreover, the land in question is very close to the railway station, thus making it a very important location. Since the plot of land was found useful by the Trust, the concerned persons were contracted and the final due amount was fixed at Rs 1,423 per square feet, which is lower than the market price of the nearby land. Rai added that from Day 1, all the court fees and stamp paper purchase were done online and the trust was in favour of making all the payments directly into the accounts through banks and the same was followed in this case as well. 

The crux of these allegations stem from the fact that both the documents put up by the Aam Aadmi Party- the sale deed of the land from Kusum Pathak to Ansari and the Agreement between Ansari and the Trust that were executed on the same day. According to AAP, since both the transactions took place within a span of 10 minutes, therefore the price increase points towards a scam. However, things are not that simple as while both the documents were registered on the same day, that does not mean that both the sales were conceptualised on the same day.

Agreement of Sale vs. Sale Deed

Sale Agreement:

It is a preliminary agreement between the buyer and seller outlining the terms and conditions of the property sale.

It is legally binding but does not transfer ownership rights immediately.

Includes property details, payment terms, delivery methods, and remedies in case of legal issues.

Acts as evidence of the intention to sell and facilitates the execution of the sale deed.

Sale Deed:

It is the final and irrevocable legal document that transfers ownership of the property from the seller to the buyer.

It signifies the completion of the transaction and is registered at the registrar’s office as per the Registration Act of 1908.

Includes details of parties involved, property description, consideration, transfer of titles, and clauses regarding compensation for loss.

Once executed, it transfers all risks and responsibilities to the buyer.

It is important to note the following points as far as this case is concerned:

• The original ‘Agreement to Sell’ was done between Kusum Pathak and Ansari in September 2019, for Rs 2 crores at the then market rates. 
• At that time, there was no sale deed drawn up and hence, the title was not clear with Ansari.  
• By 2021, the price of the land increased rapidly due to the Supreme Court Ayodhya verdict and Bhumi Poojan of Ram Mandir. 
• The temple trust then decided to acquire that land from Ansari in 2021 for a value that is lesser than the market value– Rs 18.5 crores.  
• When the decision to acquire the land was made, the trust said that there was already a sale deed for the 2019 deal as well.
• It is because of this deed and the temple trust’s need to be transparent, that both transactions, the 2019 transaction between Kusum and Ansari and the 2021 transaction between Ansari and Temple Trust, were registered on the same within a span of 10 minutes.
• All the documents can be verified from the UP-Government Website online.
• The temple trust could not have purchased the land directly from Kusum at a cheaper rate because Kusum had received Rs 50 lacs as advance in 2019 and, therefore, she had to sell her land to Ansari first, for Rs 2 crores. Any violation would have resulted in another legal dispute for 5 centuries.  
• As evidenced by the Forbes report, the rise in price is explained by the Supreme Court Ayodhya judgement where prices shot up in Ayodhya. 
• Additional land is being acquired by the temple trust, beyond the 67 acres, because the temple trust wants to build facilities for the pilgrims.
• The Trust also wants to ensure that there is enough space to build the Ram Temple in accordance with Vastu norms. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Ayodhya dispute, centered around the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi site, has been a longstanding issue deeply intertwined with religious beliefs and historical narratives. The controversy escalated over the years, culminating in the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 and subsequent legal battles over the ownership and control of the site. The Supreme Court’s verdict in 2019 marked a significant milestone, granting control of the disputed land to the Hindu litigants for the construction of a temple dedicated to Lord Ram, while also allocating an alternative plot for the construction of a mosque.

However, recent allegations of financial corruption surrounding the land purchase by the Ram Temple trust have cast a shadow over the proceedings. Accusations of inflated prices and fraudulent transactions have led to calls for a thorough investigation by authorities. The trust has vehemently denied these allegations, asserting that the land acquisition was conducted transparently and in accordance with legal procedures.

Furthermore, it is essential to consider the intricacies of the land transactions, including the initial agreement to sell between Kusum Pathak and Ansari in 2019 and the subsequent acquisition by the trust in 2021. The rise in land prices following the Supreme Court’s Ayodhya verdict and the trust’s need for additional land for pilgrim facilities further complicate the situation.

Despite these challenges, the trust remains committed to ensuring transparency and adhering to legal norms in the construction of the Ram Temple. As the legal and investigative processes unfold, it is imperative to uphold the principles of justice and accountability to address any irregularities and uphold the sanctity of the temple construction project.

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