Mediation won't resolve Ayodhya land dispute, need ordinance: Shiv Sena

Agencies

March 9, 2019

Mumbai, Mar 9: Ram Janmabhoomi is an emotional issue and cannot be resolved through mediation, the Shiv Sena said on Saturday, asking the Centre to promulgate an ordinance and start the construction of Ram temple.

When the country's politicians, rulers and the Supreme Court have not been able to resolve the issue so far, what would the three mediators do, the party asked.

Giving another chance for mediation, the apex court had on Friday ordered the setting up a three-member panel headed by a former SC judge FMI Kalifulla to explore a possible settlement of the decades-old politically sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute in Ayodhya.

Spiritual guru and founder of Art of Living Foundation Sri Sri Ravishankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu, well known for his mediation experience, will be the other two members of the panel.

The Sena said the apex court has deferred a decision on the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute and the matter will now be decided only after the Lok Sabha elections.

"The only question is that if the issue could be resolved through mediation, why did the dispute continue for 25 years and why hundreds of people had to lose their lives?" it asked in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

"The country's politicians, rulers and the Supreme Court have not been able to resolve the issue and what would the mediators achieve now."

"If the protesters did not want mediation on the issue for all these years, why is the Supreme Court trying to do it now? Ayodhya is not just an issue of land but is an emotional one. It has been experienced that mediation and arbitration do not work in such sensitive matters," it said.

"The deaths of hundreds of kar sevaks on Ayodhya issue cannot be forgotten," the party said and pointed out that the dispute is only about 1,500 sq ft land and not about the rest of 63 acres land.

"People strongly feel that the Centre should promulgate an ordinance and start working on the construction of Ram temple. We had said the same thing in Ayodhya," it said referring to Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's visit to the disputed site in November 2018.

"Just as Kashmir is an issue of national identity and pride, Ram temple is also an issue of Hindu pride. But Ram is in exile in Hindustan.

For his own 1,500 sq ft of land, Lord Ram will have to hold talks with the mediators. Even the gods could not escape the legal battle. Who should be held responsible for this?" Sena asked.

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QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

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