Sunni Waqf Board 'dissatisfied' with Ayodhya verdict, to file review petition

The apex court directed the Centre to allot a 5-acre plot at an alternative place to the Sunni Waqf Board.

Sunni Central Waqf Board's lawyer Zafaryab Jilani along with other advocates and Muslim leaders addresses a press conference after the Supreme Court pronounces its verdict on Ayodhya land case in New Delhi Saturday. (Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) said on Saturday the Supreme Court judgement on the disputed land in Ayodha was not satisfactory and it might file a review petition after considering the legal options.

The timeline for filing the petition is 30 days.  

“We are yet to speak to our executive committee. We will then take a final decision if we will file a review petition or not… From what it looks like, a review petition may be filed,” said AIMPLB’s Zafaryab Jilani while addressing a press conference in the capital. He added they would weight the legal recourses. 

The AIMPLB said that great injustice has taken place with the mosque starting 1949. 

He appealed to all communities to maintain peace and tranquillity and to not hold any protests anywhere. 

READ| Ayodhya verdict: Not another Babri mosque but peace is what we want, say India's Muslim youth

Though there are a lot of elements in the judgement which strengthens the secular fabric of the country, the disputed land given away in entirety to Hindus is dissatisfying, he said.

“According to the Sharia laws, Muslims cannot handover or gift a mosque to any other party,” said Jilani. 

“It is our right to disagree with the judgement but respectfully… We have always maintained this is not about anyone’s victory or defeat,” he added.   

Advocate M R Shamshad said the board will examine the judgement and take appropriate legal recourse available within the ‘legal framework’. 

“There is no need to be over-emotional about this. This was a legal fight,” said Shamshad.  

“We believe in the constitutional set-up of the country. We will kep believing in it. We went to the court with all convictions that the court will decide with all keeping in mind justice to all the parties. We have seen the judgement. There may be reservations on the judgement from our side and there are reservations,”  he added. 

“We did not like the way the mosque was treated. After this verdict, no future mosque will be touched. This is our expectation in a democractic country and a constitutional set up,” said Shamshad.

Members of the board would have the regret that only this party showed acceptability about whatever the outcome is and not the other parties, he said. 

Syed Sadatullah Husaini from the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind reiterated the same view that they would respect the apex court verdict despite the disappointment with it.