Babri Masjid nears compromise? Ready to build mosque in Muslim area, Shia Waqf Board tells SC

In a significant development, the Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board (UPSCWB) has filed an SLP and counter affidavit in the Supreme Court challenging a 1946 judgement pertaining to the Babri Masjid matter.

Shia board has filed a counter affidavit requesting to be a party in this matter.

"We are ready to build a Masjid in the Muslim dominated area of the contested land," Shia Board said in the affidavit.

The board members are of the view that the Waqf Masjid Mir Baqi, popularly known as Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, was a Shia mosque built during the reign of Babur by Mir Baqi who was a Shia from Persia, Wasim Rizvi said.

"Going by this fact it was always a Shia mosque...only the Imam and Muezzins of the mosque were Sunnis who were paid their due by the Shia Mutawwali. Namaz was offered by both Shia and Sunnis," Chairman Wasim Rizvi had claimed last week.

In 1944, the Sunni board registered the mosque under its name which was challenged in court by the Shia board in 1945, he said.

Earlier, the court had said that the Ayodhya dispute is a sensitive and sentimental issue that needs to be settled amicably and through consensus.

The court suggested that if required, a principal mediator can be chosen by the court to settle the issue.

Chief Justice J.S. Khehar said if the parties want him to mediate, then he is ready for the task.