Indian-Americans laud Supreme Court's verdict on Ayodhya case

The Indian-American community on Saturday lauded the Supreme Court's historic verdict in the Ayodhya case, saying the decision in the decades-old land dispute is equally a victory for both Hindus and Muslims.

READ: Ayodhya Verdict: Disputed Land To Be Given To Hindus, Holds SC

Verdict announced

The Indian Supreme Court in a unanimous verdict on Saturday cleared the way for the construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya and directed the Centre to allot a 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque. In one of the most important and most anticipated judgments in India's history, a 5-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi put an end to the more than a century-old dispute that has torn the social fabric of the nation.

US State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said the US is following the announcement of the Ayodhya verdict. "We appreciate the statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Indian leaders calling on all parties to maintain peace and avoid inflammatory rhetoric," she said.

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The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) said in a statement, "the ruling by the Indian Supreme Court is equally a victory for Hindus and Muslims, as it is for archeologists, historians, and the Indian legal system." There was no immediate reaction from the Muslim-American groups in the US. "This balanced judgment sets precedent for all the future disputes and shows the maturity of the Indian judicial system to resolve a challenging situations in a calm, collected and fair manner, said the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS), USA in a statement.

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In a statement, FIIDS thanked the Supreme Court of India for delivering a historic verdict on Ayodhya Ram Temple, one of the most sensitive issues of India. "We welcome a well-balanced verdict that the SC handed over the entire land to Hindus and allocated land for a mosque," FIIDS said.

"We observe that the Modi Government, various State government and socio-political leaders from all communities of India are trying to maintain law and order," it said. The World Hindu Council of America or VHPA, that seeks its inspiration from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, said that for Hindus around the world, the Ram Janmabhoomi movement is a symbol of their centuries old struggle against colonialism and the brutality and tragedy that came with it.

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