On the ninth day of the Ayodhya hearing, Senior Advocate C S Vaidyanathan appearing for Ram Lalla Virajman said that a slab was traced which contained a reference in Sanskrit from 12th century and the stanzas inscribed on the slab points out that a big Vishnu temple was built there.

And this Vishnu temple is the structure that was excavated by ASI, said Vaidyanathan and added: “This slab backs the findings brought out by ASI that there was a huge temple at this place, Ram Janmasthan.”

“The contentious edifice was put in place either on the debris of the temple or by pulling down the temple,” said Vaidyanathan.

Vaidyanathan further based his arguments by presenting the depositions of various witnesses.

Citing one deposition of a Journalist of Panchajanya, he said: “The journalist in his cross examination said that the slab was built-in in the western wall of southern dome though he could not say where precisely the slab was on the wall.

“…neither the cross examination of the journalist nor of Dr. Ramesh will shed any doubt on retrieval of the slab from the disputed place.”

He also further place one cross examination of a 90-year-old who has seen pilgrims come and go and whose cross examination in this relation has not yet been shaken is validation that the Ayodhya was a place worship for Hindus.

Bench asked Vaidyanathan whether witnesses have uttered about Muslims doing Namaz at the . contentious place.

To which Vaidyanathan also said that he will interpret the statement of the Muslim witnesses also.

Vaidyanathan said: “One Muslim witness remarked that if mosque was built after destruction of a temple, Muslims will not regard it a mosque. Mosque cannot be constructed on a forcefully inhabited place. One Muslim witness has said that Hindus believe that the Janmasthan is where Lord Ram was born and worship the place. Muslim witnesses themselves have verified to various archeological proofs.”

The hearings will continue tomorrow.

—India Legal Bureau