Salman Nadvi sets up new board

LUCKNOW: Expelled All India Muslim Personal Law Board Member (AIMPLB) Maulana Salman Nadvi has decided to set up a unified inter-faith organisation to take forward the proposal for an out-of-court settlement of the Ayodhya dispute.

The Nadva cleric, who was expelled by AIMPlB on Feb 12, for meeting Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and mooting a negotiated settlement on the Babri Masjid case, said the membership of “Falahe-Insaniyat Board’ would be open to all.

“We are in the process of establishing this body. I humbly request the scholars of the Hindu, Sikh, and Christian faiths, and also advocates, former judges, thinktanks, doctors, judges, engineers, journalists and preachers who agree with this solution to please forward your suggestions along with your name, occupation and full address within a weeks’ time in order to take further steps,” he said.

The proposal sets out three demands:

1) Those who took part in the demolition of the Babri Masjid be taken into account and punished accordingly.

2) A larger and much more spacious plot be given in place of the Babri Masjid to build a new mosque and Islamic University.

3) In the future, no Islamic seminary, shrine, graveyard or masjid be unlawfully touched.

“Those who came to know about the situation and its background phoned me in order to show their support. “They told me we support your decision on this issue. This is truly the only way forward,” he said.