More time for Ayodhya dig-Why? What's holding the gov't up?

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More time for Ayodhya dig

 

 

The archaeologists wanted a much longer extension

Archaeologists in the northern Indian town of Ayodhya have been given more time to report on one of the country's most contentious religious disputes.

A court has given them seven more weeks to say whether a Hindu temple once existed on the site of a Muslim mosque destroyed in 1992.

 

The report will be used to assess claims by Hindu groups that they should be able to build a permanent temple on the site.

 

The razing of the Babri mosque by hard-line Hindus sparked riots across India in which more than 2,000 people died.

 

Rain protection

 

The High Court in the city of Lucknow on Thursday gave the archaeologists five more weeks to complete their excavations and two more weeks to complete the report.

 

That is much less time than the archaeologists wanted.

 

They had asked the court to give them until December to complete their work, saying that it would be hampered by the monsoon season.

 

 

Hindus can pray at the site at restricted times

 

The court ordered that measures be taken to protect the site from the rain and that more staff be allocated to the team

 

On Wednesday one of the court judges criticised the speed of the dig, which is being organised by the Archaeological Society of India (ASI).

 

"The court is getting an impression that there is a slackness on the part of the ASI," Judge Bhanwar Singh said.

 

Hindu hardliners say the destroyed 16th century mosque was built on the ruins of a temple which marked the birthplace of the Hindu God, Ram.

 

Some Indian historians have raised doubts about the excavation, arguing that it could lead to more historical disputes.

 

 

Representatives from India's small Jain community say one of their ancient temples may also have existed in Ayodhya.

 

 

 

Some 80 labourers are involved in the dig.