Ayodhya dispute: Muslim parties in SC retract statement that ‘Ram Chabutra’ is birthplace of Lord Ram

Muslim parties retracted their statement in the Supreme Court on Wednesday that 'Ram Chabutara', in the outer courtyard of the disputed site in Ayodhya, is the birth place of Lord Ram and attacked the ASI report which had suggested that the structure pre-existed the Babri Masjid.

The top court was told by the Muslim parties there was no change in their stand that there was no evidence to suggest that the 2.77 acre of the disputed land was the birthplace of Lord Ram.

They further said that in their submission they had only meant that Muslim parties did not challenge the Faizabad district judge's order of May 18, 1886.

The Muslim parties also attacked the Archeological Survey of India's report of 2003, which had found remains, idols and artefacts suggesting existence of a structure before the Babri-Masjid saying that it does not provide a verifiable conclusion and is mostly based on inferences.

However, the apex court said if there was any objection to the ASI report, the contesting parties would have raised it before the High Court as there was legal remedy available under the law.

"Whatever, may have been your objections, however, strong it may have been, it cannot be entertained by us," said a 5-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi while referring to the provisions of the Civil Procedure Code, which empowers parties to the title suit to make objections to the court commissioner's report.