Mumtaz Alam, IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, 24 Dec 2015: Concerned at the recent activities of Hindu right groups specially Vishwa Hindu Parishad about construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), one of the parties to the Babri Masjid title suit currently pending in the Supreme Court, has hinted to move the apex court if law and order deteriorates and the 1993 status quo of the site is disturbed.
Talking to IndiaTomorrow.net, Dr SQR Ilyas, Member of AIMPLB’s Babri Masjid committee, said the law and order is the responsibility of the state government and as the central government has acquired the 67 acres land so it is the responsibility of both to maintain law and order and status quo in the acquired area. “The Supreme Court can be moved when any illegal activity is done in the prohibited area,” said Dr Ilyas.
The 15th century Babri Masjid was demolished by a large Hindu mob in Ayodhya town of Uttar Pradesh on 6th Dec 1992 and a makeshift temple was erected on the debris of the mosque. The central government acquired the whole area and Supreme Court issued status quo order in Jan 1993. Hindu groups have claimed the mosque was built on the birthplace of Ram. The title suit is pending in courts since 1948.
Earlier this week, media reported about the first lot of stones reaching Ayodhya for construction of Ram temple.
“Whatever activities going on in Ayodhya (for Ram temple on the disputed site) are illegal and the state government should control them. Both the state and central governments have responsibility to maintain law and order and status quo there because the centre has acquired 67 acres of land. The Supreme Court had ordered for status quo in Jan 1993 that no such activities can be held in the area,” said Dr. Ilyas.
Dr Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas
“The recent activities are not being done in the prohibited area – they are doing it in Karsevakpuram area. Their current activities are just to keep the issue alive and to provoke people. It is the responsibility of the state govt to control the situation and stop any such illegal activity. The issue will come to SC only when any such activity is done in the prohibited area,” he said.
When asked if the board will approach SC for mainlining larger issue of communal harmony that is under threat due to recent activities, Dr. Ilyas, who is also Member of the Executive Committee of AIMPLB, said: “There is no use of any appeal in the SC right now. SC has taken stand on this issue twice – first in 1993 and then in 2002 when it banned any activity in the acquired land.”
“Unless law & order is disturbed or we have apprehension that law & order would be disturbed we cannot approach SC. It is the responsibility of the state govt. to maintain law & order. We have asked the state govt. and apparently it has given instructions to local police and civil administration to maintain the situation,” he said.
When asked it means the board is not ruling out the possibility of approaching SC if law & order deteriorates, Dr Ilyas said: Yes, it’s true.
