Muslim groups slam SP for raking up Babri issue,calls it opportunist

Jafaryab Jilani,convener of the All India Babri Masjid Action Committee,said: “Mulayam Singh Yadav will never be able to regain the support of the Muslims by raking up the Babri Masjid issue. We have never demanded the construction of the mosque at Ayodhya before the settlement of the land title issue by court.” Jilani is also member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

“What we want is early judicial settlement of the issue pending in the Allahabad High Court. The hearing should be expedited and causes of delay removed,” he added. Jilani claimed the hearing has been suspended for the last three months since the judge who was hearing the case was elevated to the post of chief justice of the Jabalpur High Court. The Nirmohi Akhara of Ayodhya and the Sunni Central Waqf Board are the two parties to the suit pending in court over the ownership of the disputed site.

Maulana Taukir Raza Khan,a prominent leader of the Barelvi sect of the Sunni Muslims and president of the Ittehad Millet Council,described the SP move as “a political stunt”. “By raking up the Babri Masjid issue,Mulayam Singh Yadav is trying to lead the Muslims up the garden path. But this time,they won’t fall in his trap,” said Khan.

He found it interesting that Yadav had discovered “the virtues in the Babri Masjid issue” only after his daughter-in-law lost the election from the Firozabad Lok Sabha seat. Till the other day,he had close company with the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh and Swami Shakshi Maharaj,said Khan. “For decimating the BJP,the Samajwadi Party has to be liquidated first,” he added.

Political analyst Aijaz Ilmi said the SP should now think of a progressive agenda for the Muslims if it really wanted to help them. “Raking up the Babri Masjid issue is no solution to the problems of the Muslims who are at the bottom of the society’s socio-economic ladder,” he said. The basic issues of all sections of the society are same and emotive issues based on caste and religion can’t be sustained for long,he added.

Jamil Akhtar Nomani,who edits a prominent Urdu daily published from Kanpur,said the SP announcement to launch a campaign for reconstruction of the Babri Masjid showed its desperation.

“The Samajwadi Party wants to create a situation for the Muslims where they are forced to look for a saviour. It is a brazen attempt to rouse the religious sentiments of the Muslims after the electoral drubbing the party has received for its ties with Kalyan Singh,” Nomani said.

Maulana Zulfikar Ali,Shahar Mufti of Muzaffar Nagar,said: “I am very happy to hear that Babri Masjid issue is so dear to Samajwadi Party,but I am sorry it’s too late for Mulayam Singh Yadav. His time is up and the people can no longer be taken for a ride by such unscrupulous politicians.”

Liberhan report likely to be tabled on last day of Winter Session
New Delhi: The report of the Liberhan Commission,which probed the 1992 demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya,is expected to be tabled in Parliament on December 22,the last day of the Winter Session.

The report,the contents of which are so far not known,was submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by Retd Justice M S Liberhan on June 30.

“The report is likely to be tabled in the Parliament on December 22,” a Home Ministry official said.

Set up within ten days of the demolition of Babri Masjid on December 6,1992,to inquire into the circumstances leading to the incident,the panel has become the country’s longest serving Commission of Enquiry with 48 extensions.

During the extended proceedings spread over 400 sittings,the Commission recorded statements of senior BJP leaders L K Advani,Murli Manohar Joshi and the then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Singh.PTI