india

Updated: Jul 20, 2020 05:23 IST

Asaduddin Owaisi, president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and Lok Sabha MP has criticized the Supreme Court verdict on the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute saying there was no need to “patronize” Muslims.

Owaisi’s reaction came after a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Saturday cleared the decks for the construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya and directed the Centre to allot a 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque.

“We are not happy with the way the Supreme Court had invoked Article 142 of the Constitution (to direct that the Nirmohi Akhara, an order of Hindu ascetics, will also get representation in the trust that the Centre must set up in three months to oversee the building of the temple.) Those who had demolished Babri Masjid have been asked to form a trust and start construction of the Mandir,” he said.

The AIMIM chief also said that Muslims did not need the land as donation.

“The Muslims of the country have been fighting for their legitimate rights. They don’t need any donation. We are capable of building the mosque. If I beg on the roads of Hyderabad, I will collect enough to build a mosque in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.

The Supreme Court verdict brought the curtain down on one of the longest running disputes in the country. It said the mosque should be constructed at a “prominent site” and a trust should be formed within three months for the construction of the temple at the site many Hindus believe is the birthplace of Lord Ram.

Expressing apprehensions that the SC judgement would lead to a rise in the Sangh Parivar, Owaisi said the Sangh might now claim ownership over various other mosques in the country. “Modi 2.0 is aiming at making India a Hindu Rashtra. This judgement will lay the road from Ayodhya to Hindu Rashtra. However, we are not scared of none, except Allah. We respect the Constitution,” Owaisi said.

He also lashed out at the Congress for what he called the grand old party’s deceit and hypocrisy that he claimed fuelled the dispute and its failure to protect the Babri masjid.

“Congress has shown their true colours. But for Congress party’s deceit and hypocrisy, idols would not have been placed in 1949 and had the locks not opened by Rajiv Gandhi, the masjid would still be there. Had Narasimha Rao discharged his duties the masjid would still be there,” Owaisi said.

The Babri masjid was destroyed by Hindu kar sevaks on December 6, 1992 when Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister.

He appreciated the lawyers of the All India Muslims Personal Law Board who fought the case very sincerely and worked very hard. “The board will take a decision on filing a review petition and also on the five-acres of land offered by the SC for building the mosque,” he said.

Owaisi also allayed fears of violence. “Nothing will happen, inshallah. Peace will prevail,” he said.