Ex-CJI DY Chandrachud faces backlash over his Babri Masjid remark, seen as contradicting the 2019 Ayodhya verdict and reigniting a sensitive national debate.

Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has come under fire for his latest comment on the Ayodhya dispute. Speaking to journalist Sreenivasan Jain, Chandrachud described the construction of the Babri Masjid as a “fundamental act of desecration,” a remark that has reignited one of India’s most divisive debates.

Critics point out that this statement appears to contradict the 2019 Supreme Court judgment, which unanimously backed the Ram Mandir construction but also acknowledged the demolition of the mosque as unlawful. By framing the mosque’s very existence as desecration, the former CJI risks undermining the balance the court had attempted to strike in its landmark verdict.

His words have triggered unease not just among legal observers but also within sections of the public, who see them as fueling old divisions that the judgment was meant to settle. In a society still healing from decades of communal tensions, such interventions from a retired Chief Justice invite questions about judicial consistency and responsibility.

The Ayodhya case was legally concluded in 2019, yet Chandrachud’s remark has reopened wounds and blurred lines between personal opinion and judicial reasoning. Instead of calming waters, this statement risks stirring emotions at a time when reconciliation is still fragile.

Opinion: For a jurist of his stature, maintaining clarity and restraint is essential. Remarks that revisit settled disputes do little to strengthen public trust in the judiciary and can unintentionally deepen social fault lines. What India needs today is dialogue that bridges divides—not commentary that reopens them.