Hours after the district court in Varanasi ruled that the suit in the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri case is maintainable and that the facts presented by the Hindu side are acceptable, Islamic outfit ‘All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB)’ resorted to fear-mongering about the verdict.
In a statement on Monday (September 12), it informed, “General Secretary Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani has said that in his press note that the verdict of the court is disappointing.”
AIMPLB claimed that the contentious Places of Worship Act of 1991, enacted by the Parliament, called for upholding the status quo of all religious structures (with the exception of the Ram Janmabhoomi case) and accused the Varanasi court of “ignoring the law”.
ज्ञानवापी मस्जिद मामले में वाराणसी जिला कोर्ट जज का फैसला निराशाजनक और दुःखदायी है: महासचिव बोर्ड#GyanvapiMasjid #GyanvapiVerdict pic.twitter.com/5B8NHFGXsz
— All India Muslim Personal Law Board (@AIMPLB_Official) September 12, 2022
The Islamic outfit cast aspersions on the integrity of the Judiciary and accused it of making the path easier for ‘Hindu extremists’ to reclaim the disputed structure. While hinting at the possibility of Muslim mobs going berserk, AIMPLB said that the verdict will affect India’s unity and communal harmony.
“Extremism and violence will increase, and lead to conflict in cities,” it continued. “The government should implement the 1991 law with full force. All stakeholders must be made to follow this law. Minorities should not feel that all doors of justice are closed for them,” AIMPLB concluded.
PFI cries foul
The radical organisation, Popular Front of India (PFI), has cried foul after the Varanasi district court passed its verdict in the favour of the Hindu side. PFI President Oma Salam extended his support to the Anjuman Islamia Masjid Committee, which challenged the maintainability of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri suit filed by five Hindu women.
He called upon the Committee to protect the disputed structure from being reclaimed by Hindus and supported the decision to appeal against the verdict in High Court. With an intent to create unrest in the country, PFI accused the court of encouraging supposed ‘fascist attacks’ against the country’s minorities.
Asaduddin Owaisi draws parallels to the Babri Masjid case
Following the historic verdict, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi told NDTV, “I was hoping that the court will nip these issues in the bud. Now it appears that more such litigations will be coming and this is going the way the Babri Masjid legal issue went.”
He claimed that the order by the Varanasi district court will ‘set off many things’. Owaisi further alleged that the objective behind the Places of Religious Act would fail and hoped that Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee would appeal against the order.
There should be an appeal in High Court against this order. I hope Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee will appeal against this order. I believe that after this order, the purpose of the Places of Worship Act 1991 will fail: AIMIM chief A Owaisi on Gyanvapi Shringar Gauri dispute pic.twitter.com/pVcJCHtri0
— ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2022
The AIMIM leader remarked, “Everyone will say that we have been here before 15 August 1947. Then the aim of the 1991 Places of Religious Worship Act will be defeated. The 1991 Act was made so that such conflicts end.”
“But after today’s (September 12) order, it seems there will be more litigations on this issue and we will be back to the ’80s and it will create a destabilising effect,” he concluded.
When Owaisi provoked Muslims against court-ordered proceedings
In May this year, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi called upon Muslims to not lose the disputed Gyanvapi mosque at any cost. He made the contentious remarks after a Shivling was discovered inside the disputed structure.
“When I was 19-21, the Babri Masjid was snatched away from me. But we will never lose a Masjid again in front of the 19-20-year-olds. Do you take an oath that we will not lose any more mosque?” he asked a frenzied crowd.
Amidst chants of ‘Naara-e-Takbeer’ and ‘Allahu Akbar’, his supporters vowed to protect the disputed structure of the Gyanvapi mosque. “They must know that we will not lose any more of our mosques. We know all your tactics,” Owaisi remarked.
#ज्ञानवापी मस्जिद थी, और क़यामत तक रहेगी इंशा’अल्लाहpic.twitter.com/stNp8gneyl
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) May 16, 2022
“A Momin is someone who doesn’t get bitten by the same snake twice. We will not allow them to bite us again. It (Gyanvapi) was a masjid and it will remain so till Qayamat (the Day of Judgment),” he continued to rage.
Asaduddin Owaisi added, “It is our responsibility to keep our mosques free.” He further called upon Muslims to visit mosques frequently all throughout the year and not just during the month of Ramzan.
While dubbing the whole exercise of videography of Gyanvapi as the work of shaitan, the AIMIM leader remarked, “If we keep our mosques filled with worshippers, then, these Satanic forces who want to deprive us of our culture will understand that Indian Muslims are now not ready to lose their mosques.”
It is notable here that the case of Hindu women seeking right to worship at the Shrigar Gauri shrine inside the Gyanvapi premises has only been deemed “maintainable” by the Varanasi District Court in the recent order.
