Overview

• In a televised interview, DY Chandrachud said the very erection of the Babri Masjid was a fundamental act of desecration, a line widely circulated on social media.
• Reporters noted the comment sits at odds with the 2019 Supreme Court judgment, which cited ASI findings as inconclusive on any demolition and recorded a four-century gap before the mosque’s construction.
• Pressed on the point, Chandrachud argued there was archaeological evidence and maintained the verdict applied conventional legal standards, including tests for adverse possession.
• He also defended permitting a survey of the Gyanvapi site, saying its religious character was not a closed issue and asserting long-standing Hindu worship in the mosque’s cellar, a claim the mosque trust disputes.
• Speaking at the India Today Conclave, Chandrachud said excerpts of the interview were lifted out of context and reiterated that the Ayodhya decision was grounded in the record and legal principles.