No alternative, land or money, acceptable for mosque in Ayodhya: Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind

A key litigant from the Muslim side in the highly-sensitive Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case — the Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind (JuH) — has decided to not accept the alternate five-acre-land mandated by the Supreme Court to build a mosque, adding that no 'alternative' to a mosque in Ayodhya, be it money or land, is acceptable. They also added that a five-member fact-finding committee, representing the JuH, will seek legal opinion on the matter, and will even consider going for a review of the SC verdict.

The development comes two days before the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) meets to discuss the landmark SC judgment that was passed on November 9. The Court had ordered the land in the disputed site to be handed over to the Hindu side to build a Ram Janmabhoomi Trust for the construction of the temple. The Court had also ordered the central government to give an alternate five-acre-land to the Sunni Waqf Board for building the mosque.

At its working committee meeting in Delhi on Thursday, the JuH said that nothing would be acceptable as an 'alternative' to a mosque - be it money or land, with JuH president Arshad Madani adding that a legal review was an option that was up for consideration as well.

Uttar Pradesh JuH president Ashhad Rashidi, who was present in the meeting, said, "Two crucial decisions were taken in the working committee meeting. One was related to the five-acre alternative land for a mosque and the other was the possibility of filing a review plea."

"The working committee unanimously decided there can be no 'badal' (alternative) of a mosque for anything in the world. It will not be right for any Muslim outfit to accept barter," he said.

The Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind was founded in 1919 by a group of Deobandi Islamic scholars and is one of the leading organisations of Islamic thought in India. The organisation was active in the Khilafat Movement and opposed the Partition of India, maintaining the stance that Muslims and non-Muslims form one nation.

Another Muslim litigant Mohammad Umar has already announced that he will file a review petition, provided the AIMPLB provides him legal support.

Zafaryab Jilani, the convener of the All India Babri Masjid Action Committee (AIBMAC) and a counsel for the Sunni Central Waqf Board, had earlier said that he was 'not satisfied' with the verdict.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president and MP Asaduddin Owaisi had, too, earlier said that he was not satisfied with the Supreme Court verdict on Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case, adding that the "Supreme Court is indeed supreme but not infallible."

Owaisi had said: "I am not satisfied with the verdict. The Supreme Court is indeed supreme but not infallible. We have full faith in the Constitution. We were fighting for our legal rights. We do not need five-acre land as a donation."

Owaisi called the policy of allowing a five-acre alternate land to the Muslims 'patronising'. The AIMIM president said, "We were fighting for our legal right. In my opinion, we should reject this five-acre land offer. Don't patronise us."

Shia Cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad, however, said, "We humbly accept SC verdict, I am thankful to God that Muslims, by and large, have accepted this verdict and the dispute has ended now. Though its their(Muslim Personal law board) right to file review petition I think the matter should just end now."

In a 5-0 unanimous decision, the Supreme Court on Saturday ruled that the disputed 2.77 acre land in Ayodhya will go to Hindus while Muslims will be given a 5-acre plot at an alternate location in the city for construction of the mosque.

The apex court, however, handed over the land to the government to take measures for maintaining peace and harmony and law and order. The government will create a Board of Trust and formulate a scheme within 3 months.