Accept Ayodhya verdict gracefully, say Muslim leaders

Religious and political leaders from the Muslim community on Monday appealed to Hindus and Muslims to gracefully accept the Allahabad high court verdict on September 24 on the Ayodhya dispute and ensure communal harmony in the state.

Maulana Mustkima Azmi, president of the Maharashtra Jamait Ulema-e-Hind, said, “I want people to realise that Ayodhya is a dispute over land and not religion. Unfortunately, successive governments at the Centre could not muster up the courage for 60 years to find an amicable solution.”

He lauded the role of the judiciary, saying, “We have unwavering faith in the judiciary, and it will deliver justice.” The case is pending in the court since 1949 when the court was approached to settle the dispute over the land title.

President of the Maulana Azad Manch and Congress leader Hussain Dalwai took the initiative to get religious leaders and intellectuals from the minority community to appeal for calm. He said, “The younger generation is confronted with greater challenges related to jobs, education and livelihood. Yet, we must guard against some miscreants who exploit such situations to fuel communal disharmony.”

As a mark of how big a concern maintaining harmony on the day of the verdict is, leaders of the minority community are also scheduled to meet on Tuesday to once again appeal to people to refrain from any show of emotion on September 24.

“The meeting will discuss what Muslims should do after the hearing. We will pray that the decision is in our favour. However, no matter what the outcome is, we will ask the community to refrain from displaying any emotion,” said, Maulana Syed Moinuddin Ashraf, president of the Jamia Qadriya Ashrafiya Madrassa where the meeting is to take place.

Saeed Noorie of the Raza Academy, which has called for the meeting, said, “What is important is that peace should prevail. We will ask people not to indulge in any acts of violence or destroy public property in case the order is against us. If it is in our favour, we will ask people not to celebrate in any way.”

Aslam Ghazi, spokesperson of the Jamaat-e-Islami, said that there was no point in showing any reaction in public, as the verdict was bound to be challenged in the Supreme Court by Hindus or Muslims.