AMN
Several Sunni and Shia group have raised questions on the affidavit filed by Shia Board in the Babri Masjid case. The Supreme Court was told today by the Shia board that a mosque can be built in a Muslim area at a reasonable distance from the site of the temple-mosque dispute.
The Allahabad High Court had divided the land of the Babri Masjid Ram Janmabhoomi into three parts. One part was given to Ram Lalla, second part of Nirmohi Akhada and third part was given to Sunni Waqf Board. This decision came in October 2010.
After seven years, the Shia Waqf Board has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court and said that the third part of the disputed land should not go to the Sunni Waqf Board rather it should go to the Shia Waqf Board.
According to the affidavit, the Babri Masjid was a Shia mosque which was captured by the Sunnis. The affidavit states that the hardliner dominate the Sunni Waqf Board.
Sunni Waqf Board lawyer Zafaryab Jilani says that this affidavit has no importance as the High Court has given the title of the land to the Sunni Waqf Board. This affidavit is just an appeal.
Sunni Waqf Board lawyer M.R. Shamshad says that for seven years Shia Waqf Board has not been shown anywhere in this case. And suddenly this affidavit has been filed. It has to be seen who is behind it.
Aligarh Muslim University professor Rehan Akhtar Qasmi says that they are trying to weaken the Muslim lawsuit.
Not only that, some Shia leaders are also raising finger at the affidavit of the Shia Waqf Board. Significantly, the affidavit of the Shia Waqf Board has been filed on behalf of its chairman Wasim Rizvi. A large number of Shia leaders are against Wasim Rizvi have filed a lawsuit against Shia leader Kalbe Jawad in Hazratganj police station in Lucknow.
Zahirul Hassan of Delhi’s Karbala Shahe Mardan says that any affidavit should have been filed after discussing in his community. What is written in the affidavit can be his personal opinion.
On December 6, 1992, hundreds of right wing activists razed the 16th-century Babri mosque claiming it was built on a temple marking the birthplace of Lord Ram. The mosque demolition changed the face of Indian politics, and the dispute is still being heard in courts.
In 2010, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court divided the disputed land into three parts – one designated for the Ram Lalla (or the birthplace of Ram), the second to the Nirmohi Akhada and the third to the Sunni Waqf board.
But the Shia Waqf board argued today that the part of the disputed land given to the Sunni board belonged to it.
UP’s Shia Central Waqf Board had told the Supreme Court that Babri Masjid was its property and only it was entitled to negotiate an amicable settlement of the dispute.