New Delhi: The Shia Central Wakf Board on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that a mosque could be built in a Muslim-dominated area at a reasonable distance from the most revered place of birth of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.
The Allahabad High Court, by a 2:1 majority, had said the land be partitioned equally among three parties — the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla — and appeals against this verdict are pending.
While The Sunni Wakf Board is one of the appellants, the Shia Board is cited as one of the parties but not the main appellant to the title dispute. In an affidavit, the Shia board, asserted that the Babri Masjid site was its property and only it was entitled to hold negotiations for an amicable settlement of the dispute.
The Shia Board said the Sunni Board is under the dominant control of Sunni hardliners, fanatics and non-believers in peaceful co-existence, who have absolutely no stake in the present case. It said the Shia Board is of the view that closeness of place of worships i.e. masjid and mandir of the two litigating parties should be avoided in as much as parties using loudspeakers tend to disturb the religious performances of each other, often leading to conflicts bringing acrimony in the two factions. The Shia Board said to bring quietus, the masjid could be located in a Muslim-dominated area at a reasonable distance from the most “revered place of birth of Maryada Purushottam Sri Ram”.
It would be in the larger public interest that the apex court should set up a committee comprising retired Supreme Court judge, two retired judges of the Allahabad High Court, a nominee of the PMO, the UP Chief Minister or his nominee, a representative of Nirmohi Akhara and Hindu sect to make suggestions and proposals for amicable settlement, it said.
The board favoured directions being given by the court to hold talks and submit its report.
