LUCKNOW: A group of Muslim intellectuals under the banner of "Indian Muslims for Peace" on Thursday said that, as a "goodwill gesture" majority of Muslims are ready to hand over the disputed 2.77 acres of land in Ayodhya to the Indian government.

The forum which admitted it had no stake in the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute and that it had not involved any other litigant of the case in its discussions except the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, will now submit its resolution to the Ayodhya mediation panel.

Addressing a press conference in Lucknow with former Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) vice chancellor, general Zameeruddin Shah, as its chief guest, the group said that, the Supreme Court (SC) should give a clear verdict in the matter. It also said that for communal harmony of the country, Muslims should give up claim to the land where Babri Masjid once stood.

"In our collective wisdom, the disputed land owned by Muslims of India may be handed over by the Supreme Court of India to the government of India as a goodwill gesture for attaining communal harmony and long lasting peace in the country," read the resolution.

"We have no stake in the matter, but we hope that as a pressure group of Muslims, the Muslim litigants at the helm of the dispute, will see sense in our proposal and accept it as a whole. I was not part of this group, but only got involved when the Sunni Waqf board invited me to be so," Zameeruddin Shah told TOI on the sidelines of the presser.

"For the past one and a half years attempts are being made to resolve this matter through mediation. This is our last attempt to end the matter in the name of peace and communal harmony. This is why the intelligentsia of the community including doctors, academia, lawyers, army men, bureaucrats and journalists have come together," said former IAS Anis Ansari, while addressing the media.

While the forum said the land should be handed over to Indian government, as custodian of the land ever since after Babar's rule and because it is already the custodian of 67 acres of surrounding land, it also raised four points of Muslim interest, as riders to the proposal.

These included that the status of no other Muslim or any other place of worship will be disturbed as of August 15, 1947. While this is already provided for under the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act of 1991, the forum asked for the three month punishment under the Act to be extended to a minimum three years and a maximum of a life sentence.

The forum also said that mosques and mausoleums protected under ASI should be made open for religious activities and worship. And lastly that the criminal conspiracy case for demolition of Babri Masjid should be expedited and victims of riots brought to justice at the earliest.

"We agree that without participation of litigants and out of court settlement is nothing. Even then, there are a majority of Muslims who want reconciliation. The SC hearing can go on, we have no qualms, but it is better to find a way among ourselves so that no harm is brought to the secular fabric of the country," added Ansari.

"Even if the judgment is in the mosque's favour, there is no way a mosque can be built at the site where there is a functional temple already. Forcing something will only lead to clashes and riots. So this is not out of fear or abject surrender, but for country's peace we are offering a solution," said Kausar Usman.

