'Is Mohan Bhagwat Chief Justice of India?', asks Asaduddin Owaisi

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and said does he think that he is the Chief Justice of India, reported news agency ANI.

Owaisi's comments came afterBhagwat's comments two weeks ago about a Ram temple at a disputed site in Ayodhya that housed the Babri Masjid until 1992 when it was demolished by the Hindu fundamentalists. Bhagwat said such a temple will be constructed right on the disputed site and in no other place.

''With what authority is Mohan Bhagwat saying that a Temple will be built in Ayodhya? The case is still on in the Supreme Court. Is Mohan Bhagwat the Chief Justice? Who is he?,'' said Owaisi.

Last month, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy also expressed optimism that the construction of a Ram temple would begin in Ayodhya by next Diwali. Swamy is an intervenor in a petition challenging the Allahabad High Court decision on the Ayodhya land dispute in Supreme Court, claiming that his right to worship in the temple is being hampered by the long drawn-out court case on Ayodhya.

In October 2010, the Allahabad High Court directed that the disputed site of 2.77 acres in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among three parties: Muslims, Hindus and Nirmohi Akhara (a Hindu group).