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Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani on Saturday expressed surprise over the Supreme Court's decision to stay the final verdict on Ayodhya title case, but appealed to the people and BJP workers to maintain calm and respect the decision. "I am not able to understand the decision of the Supreme Court. I respect the judicial system of the country. But when the masses are awaiting the decision of the court on Ayodhya, when litigants involved in the case also want the verdict and when the Allahabad High Court had also rejected the petition to defer the verdict, this decision has come from the Supreme Court," said Advani, who was accompanied by former BJP leader Uma Bharti. "But, now, I will ask people and BJP workers to maintain calm for another few days as a respect to our courts. I appeal to the apex court that countrymen have been awaiting a judgement in this case since the last 50 years. Hence, I urge the apex court to take up the matter finally on September 28 and give it back to Allahabad High Court for decision on September 29," he added, after offering prayers at the famous Shiva temple in Somnath, the spot from where he took out the rath yatra to Ayodhya on this day 20 years ago. The Supreme Court on Thursday deferred the Ayodhya verdict till September 28. The apex court has sent notice to all parties involved in Ayodhya title dispute case. Earlier on Wednesday, the apex court refused to hear a plea to defer the Ayodhya verdict that was scheduled to be delivered on September 24. An apex court Bench refused to hear the petition filed by retired bureaucrat Ramesh Chandra Tripathi and said the matter would be taken up by another bench. Tripathi, who had earlier lost his plea before the Allahabad High Court, approached the apex court, saying the verdict should be deferred till the end of the Commonwealth Games. The petition also says that a large number of forces were needed to contain possible fallout as the verdict may result in communal tension, but the forces are busy in Commonwealth Games, Jammu and Kashmir and Bihar elections. The Special Bench of the Allahabad High Court had on September 17 rejected a plea for deferment of the verdict and imposed a heavy fine on Tripathi. The court had earlier reserved its judgment on July 26 in connection with the 60-year-old title suit. The High Court had also imposed 'exemplary costs' of Rs. 50,000 terming Tripathi's effort for an out-of-court settlement of the dispute as a 'mischievous attempt'. On July 27, the court took the initiative for an amicable solution to the dispute when it called on counsel for the contending parties to go into the possibility. But no headway was made. The demolition of the 16th century mosque triggered widespread communal riots across the country in 1992-93.

Advani appeals for peace ahead of Ayodhya verdict