With the confirmation of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Ayodhya for the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram’s idol in sanctum sanctorum of upcoming temple on Ram Janmabhoomi premises on January 22, a section of Muslim community has made an appeal to the PM to lay the foundation stone of the proposed masjid also at Dhannipur village of Sohawal tehsil during his visit.
However, reacting immediately to the appeal, the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IIFC), the body overseeing the mosque construction, said that it was unfair to politicise the mosque project by inviting the PM to lay the foundation when the map of the mosque was yet to be approved and adequate funds be collected.
Following the Supreme Court order of November 9, 2019, the Ayodhya administration had allotted 5 acres of land to Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board in Dhannipur village, about 25 km away from the Ayodhya town, for the construction of a mosque.
“Modi is India’s PM. He is for Hindus and Muslims both. If he is coming to inaugurate the 'Ibadatgaah' (place of worship) of Hindu brothers, then he should also lay the foundation of the masjid,” said Mufti Hisbullah Badshah Khan, president, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, Ayodhya unit.
State president of the Indian Union Muslim League, Najmul Hasan Ghani, who has been raising voice for the re-construction of Babri Masjid, said, “I appeal to the Prime Minister to give respect to the soul of Supreme Court verdict and lay the foundation of the mosque also.”
Similarly, Maulana Asim Nadwi, convenor of ‘Payam-e-Insaniyat’, a communal harmony movement of Ayodhya, felt that PM’s visit to the proposed mosque site would definitely send across a positive message.
Meanwhile, reacting to the appeal made by a section of the Muslim leadership of Ayodhya, IICF secretary Athar Husain said that the PM was welcome to the mosque site but the people should refrain from giving a political colour to the proposed mosque project which was a symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity.
“They should leave the things to IICF till the mosque project takes shape,” said Husain.
He added that the time for laying the foundation would come only when funds were collected and the map was passed.
“The PM is the highest authority of our country and we would love to have his presence at Dhannipur, but there are certain protocols attached to his visit and we would have to fulfil them,” he maintained.
The IICF secretary said that some people, who were politicians, did not understand the significance of Ram Temple for the country.
“Here both Muslims and Hindus have solved the century-old dispute through court and it is our responsibility to honour the court’s verdict by constructing a mosque on land given in Dhannipur village. However, we are still collecting the funds and the temple is nearing completion. In such a situation, how can we invite the PM to lay foundation,” wondered Athar Husain.