The Hindu : Muslim board to oppose Govt. plea in Ayodhya case

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 10, 2003

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Muslim board to oppose Govt. plea in Ayodhya case

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI FEB. 9. The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has decided to oppose the Government's plea before the Supreme Court for vacation of stay on religious and other activities on the 67 acres of Central Government acquired land in Ayodhya, but it is in favour of early hearing of the case.

"The board had intervened in the Aslam Bhure case in which the apex court gave an interim order last March. This time again our senior counsel, Rajiv Dhawan, will plead the case before the Supreme Court bench when it is set up," the convenor of the Babri Masjid Committee of the AIMPLB, S.Q.R. Illyas, told The Hindu today. "We will certainly oppose the Government plea for vacation of stay, but we have no objection to an expeditious hearing," he added.

The decision to oppose the appeal for vacation of stay was taken by the legal committee of the AIMPLB after a meeting here this morning. Five members and two special invitees attended the meeting, including former MP, Syed Shahabuddin.

"The Government had actually filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court in October last year. That went unnoticed. We will formally intervene in the case and file a rejoinder to the affidavit and the Government's recent application for vacation of stay," Mr. Shahabuddin said.

The members attending the meeting were of the view that the board must oppose the Government plea given the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's continuing aggressive posture, opposition to a judicial verdict and its stand that it will build a temple with a sanctum sanctorum at the disputed site.

The committee also disagreed with the government's view that the situation was no longer tense and therefore there was no need for a stay on activities on the 67-acre plot. Some of those who attended the meeting pointed out that the VHP had already announced that it would once again go in for an agitation on the issue.

The committee also disagreed with the Government's interpretation of the 1994 Supreme Court judgment upholding the acquisition of the 67 acres. "Even at that time the Supreme Court had clearly stated that all the acquired land must remain in Government possession till the final judicial decision on the main title suit in the Ayodhya case, which is before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court," Syed Shahabuddin said.

He also pointed out that the case before the Lucknow bench was progressing fast and a verdict may be available "within a year".

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