Ayodhya verdict: Muslims divided over move to file review plea

Ayodhya litigants such as Mufti Badshah Khan said it was his legal right to seek review if he was not content with the court’s verdict.

Ayodhya Ram Temple site (File photo | EPS)

LUCKNOW:  Muslims seem to be divided over the All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s decision to file a review petition over Supreme Court’s November 9 verdict on Ayodhya title suit, even as Hindu organisations like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas (RJN) and Nirmohi Akhara view it as a tactic to delay the construction of the Ram temple. 

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) claimed support of three of the litigants, including Mufti Badshah Khan, Mohammad Khaliq, nominee of a litigant Maulana Mehfooz-ur-Rehman and Mohammad Umer, the Aligarh Muslim University Student Union (AMUSU) has also decided to back it. 
Mufti Badshah Khan felt that it was his legal right to seek review if he was not content with the verdict while Khaliq said he would seek review of the clause that mosque should be given land elsewhere. Umer felt, that the verdict had many loopholes.

There are strong contrarian views too with Iqbal Ansari, UP Sunni Central Waqf Board member (UPSCWB) opposing a review supported by Shia cleric and vice-president of AIMPLB Kalbe Saddiq, besides Maulana Shahbuddin Rajvi, general secretary, Tazeem Ulema-e Islam of Bareilly. The Maulana said, “The AIMPLB represents just 25% of country’s Muslims. It will be judicious to leave this issue here and move on.

“I am firm on not going for it. I am an Indian Muslim and I follow the Constitution of this country,” said Ansari, though AIMPLB member Zafaryab Jilani claimed that Ansari must be under some pressure. UPSCWB chief Zufar Faruqi, however, said “AIMPLB is free to go ahead with a review petition. But we will not file one.” 

Triloki Nath Pandey, who represented Ram Lala Virajman in the title suit felt a review of a unanimous SC verdict will be an exercise in futility. “The AIMPLB’s decision will hold no legal ground as the decision given by the five-judge bench of the Supreme Court was unanimous,” Pandey claimed.

 ‘A tactic to delay temple’
Mahant Nritya Gopal Das of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, flayed AIMPLB’s decision. “When the preparations for construction of the temple are complete, they are trying to delay it. Even during the hearing, they had tried to get the verdict delayed.”