New Delhi: The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday welcomed the Supreme Court's verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case and asked the central government to facilitate construction of a grand Ram Temple. "We expect that the central government shall now expeditiously take further steps, as directed in the judgement of the Supreme Court towards facilitating construction of a temple in Ayodhya... We are confident that this grand temple will now be constructed at the earliest possible," Vishwa Hindu Parishad's working president Alok Kumar said.

"Today is a day of great rejoicing, satisfaction and fulfilment. After 491 years of struggle, numerous battles and innumerable sacrifices for the caught of the temple at Sri Ram Janma Bhumi in Ayodhya, the Supreme Court has finally pronounced the truth and justice of the matter," he said.

"This verdict, given after a marathon hearing of 40 days/ 200-plus hours and without being distracted by a range of obstacles, is one of the greatest judicial verdicts in the world. The Hindu society world over, forming one-sixth of the over seven billion global population, had been anxiously waiting for this verdict for nearly 70 years through all judicial processes at all levels... Justice has prevailed. We express our gratitude to the Supreme Court," he added.

Kumar said that there is immense joy and cheer in the Hindu society all over the world. "No one has been defeated. There should not be anything that offends or humiliates anyone. Everyone should try to keep the harmony, warmth and cordiality within the society," he said.

He also expressed gratitude towards all those people who made "supreme sacrifices" and the Archaeological Survey of India. The Supreme Court on Saturday directed the Centre to give five acres of suitable land to Sunni Waqf Board and at the same time make necessary arrangements for the construction of the temple by forming a trust.

"Central government shall form in three to four months a scheme for setting up of a trust. They shall make necessary arrangements for the management of trust and construction of the temple," Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said while reading out the verdict.

A five-judge constitution bench presided by Chief Justice Gogoi and comprising Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer passed the order on a bunch of petitions against an order of the Allahabad High Court which trifurcated the site between the parties -- Ramlalla Virajman, Sunni Central Waqf Board and Nirmohi Akhara.

A decade-long legal dispute was fought by right-wing party Hindu Mahasabha, a sect of Hindu monks Nirmohi Akhara and Muslim Waqf Board over 2.77 acres of land in Ayodhya.