As the Centre waits with anxiety and apprehension the high court verdict on the Babri Masjid title suit expected on September 24, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has decided to abide by the judicial verdict.
It is also calling upon community members to exercise restraint regardless of in whose favour the verdict comes.
This message, in fact, was sent out to the community through the sermons delivered on the occasion of Id too.
However, even as the AIMPLB strikes this note of reason, it is unhappy with what it says is the Centre’s unwillingness to take a stand on the matter.
The AIMPLB says that while it has been demanding that the Centre enunciate clearly in Parliament whether it would abide by the verdict which is to be delivered by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court soon, it has failed to do so till now.
Dr S.Q.R. Ilyas, convenor of the Babri Masjid committee of the AIMPLB said on Sunday: “The Centre hasn’t made it clear if it would abide by the high court verdict on the title suit. The Centre is only looking at the political benefits it can hope to reap, particularly with the Bihar polls round the corner.”
He added, “The Centre’s job is to enforce law and order and the Indian Constitution. However, it is yet to say that it will do so.”
Further, Dr Ilyas said that the if the verdict comes in their favour, they will welcome it but the community has been asked not to have any jashn (celebration) or demonstration so as not to hurt the sentiments of others.
And if the high court order is not in their favour, he said the option of approaching the Supreme Court will be explored.
The option of negotiations wasn’t there any more as it has been explored in the past and failed, he stated.
The AIMPLB’s Babri Masjid committee was formed as an umbrella panel to take care of all aspects concerning the masjid which was demolished by BJP-led kar sewaks in 1992, changing thus the country’s political dynamics in many ways.
Instead of the various committees that had come up in the wake of the mosque’s demolition, the AIMPLB panel was entrusted with the task of forming and voicing opinion on the Babri Masjid issue.