Hindu-Muslim bhai-bhai, affirm Muslim leaders
We are happy with the finding that no Muslim ever demolished any temple before constructing the Babri masjid.
—Maulana Daryabaadi
The city’s Muslim community has though not welcomed the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Ram Mandir–Babri Masjid dispute, but claims to be satisfied with the ‘findings’ of the court. The community says it is obliged by the court order or in a way erasing the stigma that Muslims had demolished a temple before constructing the Babri Masjid in 1528.
The community has resolved to maintain the ‘Hindu-Muslim Bhai-Bhai’ tradition of the country.
A five-judge constitution bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi handed over the 2.77-acre site in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, the epicentre of independent India’s biggest religiopolitical dispute. The bench also comprising of Justices Sharad
Bobde, Dhananjay Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer, also ordered allocation of a five-acre ‘suitable’ site for the construction of a mosque for the Muslim community.
The community, though not welcoming the judgment has resolved to maintain complete peace and public order.
“Even before the judgment was reserved, we had appealed all the Muslims in the city not to celebrate if the judgment is in our favour and neither to make any form of protests if the ruling is against us,” said Sayeed Noori, the general secretary of Raza Academy.
“Irrespective of the outcome of the judicial pronouncement, we are going to maintain peace and harmony in our society. No form of protest would be observed by the Muslim community,” Noori added.
The Muslim leader added the community respects the SC order, as it is the highest court in the country. But, the community would consider it to be a mosque.
“We are not going to violate the law laid down by the fivejudge bench. But for us, the land continues to be what we considered before. Even if there is new construction in the coming years, our heart would consider it as a mosque but we won’t stop any other religion from offering prayers,” Noori claimed.
For us, Hindu-Muslim Bhai Bhai is the priority and everything else comes later. We will maintain public tranquillity,” Noori added.
Similar was the opinion of Maulana Mehmood Ahmed Khan Daryabaadi of the All India Ulema Council. He said, “We are happy with the finding that no Muslim ever demolished any temple before constructing the Babri masjid.”
Daryabaadi further expressed his happiness over the fact that the apex court has upheld several contentions of the Muslim community. “The SC has accepted the fact that Muslims worshipped in the inner tomb area and the Hindus at the outside courtyard, before 1949. It has also held the installation of the idol in 1949, as illegal. Also, the Babri demolition itself has been held to be against the law,” Daryabaadi highlighted.
“The only unfortunate thing is despite upholding the majority of our contentions, the bench has not given us back our very own land, where Babri stood. However, we will respect the court judgment and if to seek its review or not would be decided by our legal team,” Daryabaadi concluded.