Lucknow, Oct. 16: Confirming the decision to challenge the Ayodhya title verdict in the Supreme Court, the AIMPLB spokesman said it was open to a temple and mosque existing in close proximity.
“There are several such instances elsewhere in the country,” he said.
The meeting was held after the September 30 verdict of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court.
The Sunni Central Waqf Board has already ruled out giving up its claim to the mosque in Ayodhya and said exploring possibilities for an amicable solution to the dispute without any concrete proposal in hand was an exercise in futility.
The Waqf Board has also said that any proposal for an out-of-court settlement should be within the framework of the Shariat.
The Waqf Board has made it clear that any decision of Mohammed Hashim Ansari to pull out would not impact their case.
“This issue can only be sorted out when the claim of the Muslims is upheld. We cannot surrender our claim,” the board’s counsel, Mr Zafaryab Jilani, had said.
Mahant Bhaskar Das of the Nirmohi Akhara, who has been involved in negotiations with other claimants recently, said Muslims should clarify where they want to construct the mosque.
“If it is outside the periphery of the Panchkosi parikrama, we are ready to give land, but in any case will not settle for the mosque on the Janmabhoomi land,” he said.
The mahant said that in the High Court verdict, the Nirmohi Akhara had been given land already in the Akhara’s possession.
“The issue of another portion for which a suit was filed is yet to be resolved. Under such circumstances we have no other option but to move the Supreme Court,” he said.
“Though talks are on, there is no certainty that they will yield any result,” he said.
He also added that negotiations could continue even after the case reaches the Supreme Court and added that his doors were always open for talks and discussion.