Sunni Waqf Board to not file review petition on Ayodhya verdict

The important meeting of the board, attended by seven of the eight members, decided not to file a review petition against the apex court's decision.

Abdul Razzaq Khan of Sunni Waqf Board. (Photo| ANI Twitter)

LUCKNOW: At its crucial meeting to decide over issues related to Supreme Court verdict over Ayodhya dispute, the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board (UPSCWB) remained firm on not filing a review petition against the apex court order her on Tuesday.

However, there was no decision, at the meeting, over the acceptance of five-acre land to be provided to it in Ayodhya for mosque building as the members sought more time to ponder over the issue.

Contrary to the stand taken by All India Muslim Personal Law Board of filing a review petition against SC verdict, the UPSCWB chairman Zufar Farooqi said that the board, at its meeting attended by seven of the eight members, decided not to file a review petition against the apex court's decision.  

Six members except Abdul Razaq Khan present in the meeting were of the firm view that review petition should not be filed, Farooqi claimed.

AIMPLB, in its meeting on November 17, had decided to go ahead with filing a review meeting against the apex court November 9 order on Ayodhya dispute.

While coming out of the Sunni Waqf Board’s meeting, Razaq called the board’s decision of not filing a review a mockery. He, however, claimed that another meeting of the board would be convened to decide if five-acre land to be provided to the board would be accepted by it or not. “There is no fixed date for the next meeting. Board members will decide when to convene it,” said Razaq.

He also claimed that when the government would offer the land, then the Board would decide if the Supreme Court’s order was being implemented in the allotment or not. Then it would be decided if it was proper, according to ‘Sharia,’ to accept the land or not.

Prominent among those present at Tuesday’s meeting of the board included chairman Zufar Faruqi, Adnan Farooq Shah, Khsunood Mian, Junaid Siddiqui, Mohammad Juneed, Abdul Razaq Khan and Mohammad Abrar Ahmad, an MLA from Sultanpur.

“The members feel that they need more time to decide on the matter of accepting the land and also ensure that it is appropriate as per the Shariat,” Faruqi said.

There were four points of discussion on the Board’s agenda for Tuesday meeting: 

• The first and foremost point was to decide if a review petition against SC order has to be filed or not. The chances for view in its support were remote as the UPSCWB chairman Zufar Faruqi had already made it amply clear the Board would not seek the review of SC verdict.
• The second point on agenda pertained to the acceptance of five-acre land for mosque building in Ayodhya as per the provision of the SS order.
• The third point for discussion was to decide the use of the land if accepted by the board. “If the mosque on the gifted land can be built or not was the issue
• under discussion. The idea of building an Islamic university or a hospital also came for confabulations,” said a board member. However, Faruqi said that he was receiving numerous suggestions over the issue and the final decision would rest with the board.
• The fourth point on agenda was about the removal of the name of Babri Mosque from the board’s documents after 75 years of legal battle.

The Supreme Court, in its verdict in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title case on November 9, said the entire 2.77 acres of disputed land should be handed over to the deity Ram Lalla, who was one of the three litigants in the case.

Meanwhile, welcoming UP Sunni Central Waqf Board’s decision of not filing the review petition, Shia Central Waqf Board chief Waseem Rizvi said it was the most thoughtful decision in favour of the country. “We should ensure that we don’t give promote any thought which can disturb the communal harmony,” said Rizvi.