Iqbal Ansari, the main litigant in Ayodhya case, has demanded that the 5 acre land allotted to the Muslim parties be given on the 67 acres land that has been given for the Ram Janmabhoomi. The Supreme Court in a historic judgement on Saturday gave the entire 67 acre land, which included the disputed property where Babri Masjid was constructed after destroying existing temple, to the Hindus for construction of Ram Mandir.
Ansari, along with several other Muslim leaders has demanded that if the central government is to give them the land as per Supreme Court’s directive, “it should be according to their convenience and only on that 67 acres of land.” Reportedly, he has said that if the land is not allotted as per their demands then they will not accept it.
A local cleric, Maulana Jalal Ashraf said that Muslims are capable of buying their own land building a mosque and are not dependent on the government for the same. However, to ‘pacify their sentiments to some extent’, the five acre of land must be given on the 67 acre land which has been allotted to the Hindus as many ‘kabristan (graveyards) and dargahs’ are on that land. Khaliq Ahmed Khan, All India Milli Council General Secretary and also a litigant from Muslims’ side in Babri case, said that the government must give them the 16 plots of land within the 67 acres which have ‘graveyard’ and a ‘dargah’ on it.
Another litigant from the Muslim side, Haji Mahboob, said that they will not accept the five acre plot which is given as a ‘lollipop’. Ayodhya Municipal corporator, Haji Asad Ahmad said that they would not like this ‘donation’ given in lieu of Babri Masjid. “If the court or government wants to give us land, it must be on the 67 acres land or we don’t want it,” he was quoted by news agency PTI.
Echoing these sentiments, Maulana Badshah Khan, Ayodhya President of Jamiat Ulema Hind said that since their fight was for Babri Masjid and not for any other land, and hence they don’t want any land for mosque.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) members is to be held on 17th November to decide the future course of action.
