After Ram Mandir, now Hindus back construction of Ayodhya mosque

The UPSCWB had on July 29 announced the formation of the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IIFC) tasked to develop the land in Dhannipur village under the district limits of Ayodhya.
Ayodhya Ram Temple site. (File Photo | AFP)
Ayodhya Ram Temple site. (File Photo | AFP)

LUCKNOW: Most of the calls encouraging construction of a mosque as ordered by the Supreme Court are from Hindus, according to sources in a trust formed by the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board (UPSCWB), which has been allotted the 5-acre alternative site as per the Ayodhya verdict. 

The UPSCWB had on July 29 announced the formation of the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IIFC) tasked to develop the land in Dhannipur village under the district limits of Ayodhya, 20 km from Ramjanmabhoomi premises.

IICF sources said a lot of Hindus are offering to contribute to the mosque construction and development of other infrastructure facilities.

“Of the total calls we have received from across the globe showing willingness to contribute to the mosque construction, 60 per cent are Hindus,” said a source.

“Ayodhya is set to emerge as a unique symbol of communal amity: we saw active participation of Muslims, including two litigants in ‘bhoomi pujan’, and now Hindus are coming forward for contributing to the mosque construction,” said an IICF member on condition of anonymity.

The Supreme Court, in its November 9, 2019 verdict, directed the state government to identify and allot 5-acre land to the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board for building a mosque in Ayodhya.

The UP government complied with the order in February 2020 and allocated the land to UPSCWB in Dhannipur village.

The Ayodhya district administration handed over the land to IICF on Aug 2, three days before the ground-breaking ceremony of Ram temple. 

The trust members would soon visit the village for the demarcation of the area.

According to IICF sources, the trust is in the process of completing bank formalities for having an account and has also applied for a PAN. 

“There will not be a dearth of funds for the development of the mosque and the additional facilities,” said the member.

The IICF has already opened an office in Lucknow. The trust is also in the process of launching a portal by next week to accept donations. Foreign contributions may have to wait for procedural clearances.

The trust claims support of all sections, especially young Muslims.

The IICF trustees, meanwhile, are expected to finalize the architect to prepare a design as the facility complex would also have a community kitchen.

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