UP cabinet okays 5-acre mosque plot
A SPOKESPERSON OF THE UP SUNNI CENTRAL WAQF BOARD SAID A MEETING WOULD BE HELD ON FEBRUARY 24 TO TAKE A CALL ON THE OFFER
LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Wednesday approved the allotment of five acres to the state’s Sunni Waqf Board for the construction of a mosque as ordered by the Supreme Court in the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid case on November 9 last year. The cabinet decision came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the formation of the trust to build a temple at the disputed site, as required by the Supreme Court order.
State government spokesperson and cabinet minister Srikant Sharma said five acres were allotted to the Sunni Central Waqf Board in Dhannipur village located in Sohawal tehsil, Ayodhya district. “The land is located 18 km away from the district headquarters Faizabad, 200 metre away from the highway and has easy access. It’s the best spot from the perspective of maintaining communal harmony as well as law and order,” he said.
A spokesperson of the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board said a meeting of the board would be held on February 24 to take a call on the offer.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board and Jamiat Ulema-I- Hind, which represented the Muslim litigants in the court, have already rejected the offer.
On November 9, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Hindu parties, and asked the government to create a trust to which the disputed 2.77 acres could be handed over for the construction of a Ram temple. It also ordered that five acres be given to the Muslim parties for building a mosque.
Addressing a press conference after the state cabinet meeting, Sharma said the land has been allotted to the Waqf board in compliance with the Supreme Court order.
The state government selected three spots for the mosque. The three alternatives were forwarded to the central government, which approved allocation of the land located in Dhannipur village on the Lucknow-Gorakhpur highway. “The land is behind Raunahi police station and well connected with the highway,” Sharma said.
A state government official, who asked not to be named, said the sadhus, saints and the mahants had demanded that the land for the mosque should be allotted outside the “panchkosi parikarma” -- the 15 km route that devotees take to pay their obeisance to Lord Ram—in Ayodhya.
“Dhannipur is located 18 km from the district headquarters Faizabad. From Ayodhya, its distance is around 25 km,” the official added.
“Members of the Muslim and Hindu communities will not face any problem during festivities. There is a large chunk of vacant area near the five-acre land that can be used by religious congregations. The tehsil office and police station are also located near the spot,” this officer said.
The state government on December 9 , decided to expand the municipal limits of Ayodhya by including 41 villages.
A second state government official said the extra land was required for the construction of basic infrastructure and facilities in the temple town as the influx of pilgrims and tourists is expected to increase after the construction of the Ram temple.