AIMPLB SEEKS FUNDS TO MEET COST OF AYODHYA TITLE CASE
LUCKNOW: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), the Muslim religious body fighting the Babri-Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title case on behalf of the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, has embarked on fund-raising to meet the cost of litigation. The Supreme Court has fixed Jan 10 for the next hearing . “We will need at least Rs 15 to 20 crore for paying the fee of the lawyers and meeting other expenditure to be incurred,” said AIMPLB secretary Zafaryab Jilani.
LUCKNOW: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), the Muslim religious body fighting the Babri-Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title case on behalf of the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, has embarked on fundraising to meet the cost of litigation.
The Supreme Court has fixed January 10 for the next hearing in the Ayodhya title suit.
“We will need at least Rs 15 to 20 crore for paying the fee of the lawyers and meeting other sundry expenditure to be incurred now that the hearing is all set to commence in the case,” said AIMPLB secretary Zafaryab Jilani when contacted by Hindustan Times.
The AIMPLB office-bearers were briefed about the progress of the case and the monetary aspect by its general secretary Maulana Wali Rehmani at a meeting held in Nadwatul Ulema in Lucknow on December 16 last year.
“The board has never issued any appeal for funds from the people. Whatever contributions we get come from our members or from donations received during the board’s meetings held in various parts of the country,” Jilani said, adding that a regular audit of its account was done and a report was submitted by its chartered accountant to the authorities.
Those privy to the meeting, however, revealed that office bearers were given specific targets to collect the money from their own resources and personal contacts.
“We were told that at least 100 days’ hearing in the case would take place before the final verdict. Apart from a senior lawyer, the board would have to hire at least two other junior lawyers to prepare the brief and assist him (senior lawyer) in the case. The daily expenditure expected was around Rs 10 to 15 lakh,” said another member, requesting anonymity.
The last such collection came from the organisation’s Hyderabad meeting last year. “The All
India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) e chief Asaduddin Owaisi gave away Rs 75 lakh from his party and another Rs 25 lakh was donated by other members,” said an AIMPLB member who attended the meeting.
Similarly, another Rs 55 lakh and Rs 12-13 lakh were collected in earlier sessions of the board held in Bangalore and Hyderabad.
Besides organisations like Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind, which also has filed two appeals in the
title suit, hired senior lawyers and took care of their fee. “The JIH paid Rs 3.50 lakh fee to its lawyer for hearing in the case last year,” the member said, adding that the financial issues of the AIMPLB were handled largely by the board’s general secretary.
Apart from Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Patna, Bhopal, Jaipur and Lucknow are some of the other cities from where the organisation expects to receive contributions.