City Muslims not satisfied with apex court’s ruling

‘Temple, mosque at site would have been a better gesture’

Delhi’s Muslim community is not satisfied with the Supreme Court’s verdict paving way for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

A section of the Muslim community is of the view that the matter could have been amicably resolved had the top court allowed both the communities to construct their religious places at the disputed site.

There were others who said they feel betrayed as they had not been allowed to rebuild the mosque, which was destroyed by kar sevaks way back in 1992. “The best thing would have been to allow construction of both Ram temple and Babari mosque at the disputed site,” said a middle-aged Showkeen Ahmed, who runs a shop in the Walled City. “Such a decision would have restored communal harmony between the two communities,” he added.

Agreeing with Mr Ahmed, another resident of Okhla said the top court could have allotted more land to Hindus than Muslims.

“But the judges should have respected the sentiments of both communities by allowing construction of temple and mosque at the disputed site,” he added.

Disagreeing with them, Hamida Sheikh, a resident of East Delhi, said that after the court verdict Muslims were feeling etrayed in the country.

“We are feeling insecure ever since BJP has come to power. Now, even the judiciary has disappointed us,” Ms Sheikh said,

adding that the mosque was demolished in the 19th century. “The entire demolition drive was captured on cameras. But there is no such proof to show the mosque was raised after demolishing Lord Rama’s temple,” she said.

Ms Sheikh’s neighbour, Parvez, who works in a factory, said he too was disappointed with the Supreme Court verdict. “I was thinking that the judgement will be in our favour. But the court has

gone with the sentiments of the majority community of this country, which is very disturbing,” he said.

West Delhi’s Sushil Siddiqui said that all those people born after 1992 have grown up with the visuals showing how kar sevaks pulled down the Babari mosque. “It was for the judges to restore their faith in the judiciary by allowing the reconstruction of the mosque at the very same place,” he said.