New Delhi: Narendra Modi government on Wednesday, announced that the Cabinet has formed a trust to build the Ram Mandir. The Sunni Waqf Board instantly formed a trust by the name of ‘Indo Islamic Culture Trust’ to manage the alternative land allotted to the Muslims in the historic Ayodhya land dispute judgment. However, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has urged the Sunni Waqf Board to reject the land that the Uttar Pradesh government has allotted for a mosque as part of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Ayodhya title suit.
Mosque location insignificant
“The location is of no relevance. We shouldn’t accept the five acres of land even if it is offered at the site of the Taj Mahal,” said Kamal Farooqui, a senior member of the AIMPLB, The Print reported.
The Yogi Adityanath government Wednesday allotted five acres of land, in line with the Supreme Court’s 9 November order, at Dhannipur village on the Lucknow-Ayodhya highway, about 25 km from the 67-acre Ramjanmbhoomi complex, inside which the Babri Masjid stood.
Land cannot be bartered
“Even if the land was given within that complex, the point is that a mosque’s site cannot be bartered or exchanged. That’s not how it works,” Farooqui said, adding the Sunni Waqf board too should reject the land.
SWB isn’t foremost
“The Sunni Waqf board is not representative of the entire Muslim community. If it takes land, it should not be considered the decision of Muslims of the country,” Senior executive member of AIMPLB, Maulana Yasin Usmani, reiterated Farooqui’s comments.
Timing of the announcement
The AIMIM chief, Asaduddin Owaisi, has also raised questions on the timing of the announcement — just three days before the Delhi assembly elections. “The Muslim community has rejected the 5-acre land offer unanimously and the Sunni Waqf Board should also do the same,” Owaisi said.