Syed Khalique Ahmed
NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 12—All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), at its emergency meeting in Lucknow on Saturday, reiterated its previous position that the land where Babri Masjid once stood in its full glory before its forcible and violent demolition on December 6, 1992, can’t be transferred or surrendered as Islamic law does not permit it.
The meeting was held in Nadwatul Ulema seminary after former vice-chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University Zameeruddin Shah at a lecture organized by the Central Sunni Wakf Board two days ago strongly pleaded for handing over the Masjid land for construction of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple “in the interest of peace and communal harmony”.
AIMPLB, in a media statement after the meeting, said, “It was resolved to reiterate the basic stand of the Muslim community that the status of the land which is dedicated for the Masjid, cannot be altered, changed or transferred in any manner. The law of Shariat does not permit it. Therefore, no Muslim can surrender or transfer such Wakf land. This submission of the Muslim community is based on historical facts and evidences that the Babri Masjid was constructed without demolishing any Mandir or any other place of worship. Several proposals were mooted for mediation of the issues relating to Babri Masjid and the AIMPLB has fully participated in them, with full hope that any solution based on justice can be found. But after several efforts, it is now clear that there is no possibility of mediation/ reconciliation”.
The board also expressed its satisfaction over presenting of facts and evidences before the Supreme Court by its advocate Rajeev Dhavan under whose leadership the legal team of the board argued the Babri Masjid case before the Constitutional bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.
The board also expressed optimism that the “honourable Supreme Court will pronounce the judgement in favour of the Masjid which will be based on right, fairplay and justice”.
The Muslim body comprising diverse schools of Muslim thought also noted that the Babri Masjid case was watched not only by people in our country but internationally as well. “It is a test case for the basic values of secularism enshrined in our Constitution’’, AIMPLB observed.
Taking note of some groups pressing the government to bring a uniform civil code(UCC), the board pointed out that “the very concept of a uniform civil code is a threat to India’s multi-cultural and multi-religious diversity”.
The board resolved to oppose through democratic and peaceful means if any attempt was made to destroy this diversity either through court or legislative measures.
“Any attempt to enact a UCC will not only affect Muslims but will also adversely affect the cultural and social rights of tribals and other religious minorities”, the board said. It also urged the “courts, whether central or provincial, to abstain from this anti-national activity”.
AIMPLB also declared to challenge the constitutionality of the Muslim (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019. The board said that the Act of 2019, far from protecting the rights of the Muslim women and her children in marriage, will completely destroy the institution of marriage and render the Muslim women destitute.
