SRK's Help For Ayodhya Title Dispute? CJI Bobde Wanted 'King Khan' To Be Part Of Mediation
Singh, who was speaking at the outgoing Chief Justice’s farewell organised by the SCBA, said Justice Bobde was of the firm view during the initial stages of the Ayodhya title dispute that this should be settled through mediation.
New Delhi: Lauding outgoing Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad Arvind Bobde’s “commitment” for mediation in the Ayodhya title dispute, senior advocate and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Vikas Singh on Friday said that he had asked him during the initial stages of the case to ask Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan if he would be interested to participate in mediation in the matter.
Singh, who was speaking at the outgoing Chief Justice’s farewell organised by the SCBA, said Justice Bobde was of the firm view during the initial stages of the Ayodhya title dispute that this should be settled through mediation.
The SCBA President said it was Justice Bobde’s suggestion in the open court that a committee should explore possible mediation in the dispute.
“While that mediation process was on and just see the commitment of Justice Bobde for mediation that he asked me because he knew that I knew the family of Shahrukh Khan very well that whether Shahrukh Khan would be interested to participate in mediation if it were to go forward,” IANS quoted Singh as saying.
“I discussed this matter with Shahrukh Khan and he was more than willing to be part of this mediation because he felt it was the best way in this country that Hindus-Muslims can live peacefully with religious harmony and he suggested that the foundation stone of temple should be laid by some prominent Muslims, vice versa the foundation stone of the mosque be laid by some prominent Hindus. Unfortunately, mediation did not move ahead,” he said, adding Justice Bobde’s thought of trying to get this mediated is salutary because this would have shown how we can live peacefully together.
The Supreme Court had on November 9, 2019, paved the way for the construction of a Ram Temple by a Trust at the disputed site at Ayodhya and directed the Centre to allot an alternative five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a new mosque at a “prominent” place in the holy town in Uttar Pradesh.
Justice Bobde was part of a five-judge Constitution bench headed by then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi which decided the matter.
The SCBA President also shared about Justice Bobde being a motorcycle enthusiast and disclosed that the former once fell of his Harley Davidson motorcycle and injured himself.
Justice Bobde was sworn-in as the 47th Chief Justice of India by President Ram Nath Kovind on November 18, 2019.
Top Headlines
