HYDERABAD: Hours after the Supreme Court passed its landmark judgment on the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title dispute, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday echoed the opinion of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and said that he too was not satisfied with the judgement.
“This is a victory of ‘faith over facts’ judgment. There are several other mosques in our country to which the Sanghis have staked claim. I wonder if they will cite this judgement in those too,” the Hyderabad MP said, adding that the “Supreme Court may be supreme, but is not infallible”.
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“I want to ask, would the judgment be the same if the mosque was still in its place?” Owaisi wondered, and added that the AIMPLB would take a call on whether to seek a review of the judgment. The AIMIM chief said it was a “travesty” that those who demolished the Babri Masjid have been asked to start the construction of a Ram temple.
“What happened on December 6, 1992 was not just a vandalism; it was an attack on India’s secular fabric and brotherhood. I will keep reminding future generations of what happened that day and the people responsible for it.”
He also criticized the Supreme Court for its direction that a five-acre piece of land be given to Muslims in Ayodhya to construct a mosque.
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“India’s Muslims have faced injustice, but we are not that downtrodden that we cannot manage five acres of land to build a mosque. The judgement was awaited because we were fighting for justice. If the need was of just five acres of land, I could have begged for the same in the streets of Hyderabad and the citizens would have donated it to me,” he said.
Owaisi further criticised the Congress, blaming it for the demolition of the Babri Masjid and the party’s subsequent reaction to the court judgment on Saturday.
“Congress should die. It has shown its true colours. But for the Congress party’s hypocrisy and deceit, idols would not have been placed in 1949. Had the locks not been opened by (late prime minister) Rajiv Gandhi, the masjid would still be there. Had (late prime minister) Narsimha Rao discharged his constitutional duties, the masjid would still be there.”
Ayodhya verdict HIGHLIGHTS | Temple at disputed site, alternate land for mosque: Supreme Court
“This is the beginning of the transformation of India into a Hindutva country. The next issues would be of NRC,” Owaisi further said. He also raised questions on the pending criminal cases against senior BJP leaders such LK Advani, among others, following the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992.
“What will now happen to the criminal cases against LK Advani, whom the government has honoured with the Padma Shri award?” he asked.
The judgment has done the best to strike a balance. It is great judgement under Article 25 (Freedom of Religion). The Article has been broadened and the courts will not interfere in the matter. However, the way the title was given is problematic. There is a serious implication under the property law and the law of evidence. Whether faith can decide property disputes, is where many will not agree with the Supreme Court. The court has accepted the belief of people without any substantive evidenceFaizan Mustafa, vice-chancellor, Nalsar University
As I had promised earlier, we respect today’s verdict by the Supreme Court. However, we are dissatisfied by it, and the same is allowed under the law. I am satisfied with the fact that the Supreme Court has accepted that a temple was not uprooted to build Babri Masjid. Now AIMPLB will study the judgment and will then go for a review petition aimed Mohammad Khan, president, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
I wish your (Asaduddin Owaisi) father had not made deals behind the scenes, and this judgment would not have come. If Congress is responsible for Babri Masjid demolition, then why were you with the party till 2014? Amjed Ullah Khan, MBT spokesperson
‘Verdict strengthens Indian tradition of peace, unity’
Hyderabad: BJP MLA T Raja Singh on Saturday welcomed the Supreme Court judgment in the Ram Janmabhoomi case, saying it would end all doubts on the matter. In a media statement, he stated that the ruling would further strengthen India’s tradition of peace, unity and goodwill. He appealed to the people to welcome the decision wholeheartedly and set an example of saving the invaluable legacy of equality and peace. The BJP has always been committed to the construction of the Ram temple and will fulfil its dream, he asserted
Hyderabad peaceful, 3 DJS leaders taken into preventive custody
Hyderabad: City remained peaceful with no untoward incidents reported and the daily routine of people remained unaffected. Regular prayers were conducted at all places of worship.
As a precautionary measure, there was heavy deployment of police in all the sensitive localities, Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said. Three members of the Darsgah-Jihad-O-Shahadat (DJS) organisation were taken into preventive custody.
The DJS leaders were all set to interact with newsmen about the verdict when they were picked up by the police