Muslim community divided on Ayodhya review petition

Hyderabad: The review petition on the Ayodhya judgement by the All India Muslim Personal Law board has become a bone of contention for Muslims with one group wanting a review, another against it and third one silent over it.

The endorsements for no review of the Ayodhya judgement are circulating on social media with friends, family and associates in the community urging that the ‘three decade-old dispute’ must not be taken any further.

Challenging the recent unanimous decision of the Supreme Court will not help but harm Muslims. This seems to be the consensus in the community. A large number of Muslims from all sections of the society have signed the endorsement stating that Muslims must not keep the Ayodhya dispute alive.

Feroze Mithiborwala, social activist says, “We share the unhappiness of the community and secular organisations over the fact that the highest court in the land has placed faith above law in arriving at its decision. But while agreeing that the court order is judicially flawed, we strongly believe that keeping the Ayodhya dispute alive with a review petition will harm and not help Muslims.”

The loss of lives and property during the time of the dispute is incalculabe and people need to learn from the bitter experience of communal conflict. It must not be incited further.

Mujtaba Askari of Helping Hand Found-ation says, “The community has a lot of issues of health, education, housing, food and personal security. There are a large number of them who are living in poverty and the need is to uplift them. Why do we not talk about good health, quality education and the problems that are faced by our youth? Why are we not debating on the reliable data collected by Sachar committee and Telangana’s Sudhir committee on the state of minorities? It is time that we stand together in terms of social and moral well-being and work together for the welfare of the community first.”

There is a deep seated fear that continuing with the review petition will only add fuel to the anti-Muslim propaganda and Islamophobia. The endor-sers state that by choosing not to pursue the issue, Muslims will stand to gain goodwill and empathy of non-communal Indians from the majority community.

Akram Mohammed, an RTI activist said, “There is no option for Muslims. Pursuing this case will only create further division. Let’s be positive and move forward. Let us show that we are not what we are always branded. Let this decision show our historic patience.”

But all of them are not willing to take it calmly.

Abdul Hafiz Lakhani, a social activist says, “It is the duty of the state and judiciary in the country to rein in elements spreading hatred. Why should the oppressed accept injustice? In the name of peace and harmony, it is hypocrisy to expect that.”

Those who want that every resource of law must still be tried are pushing for it saying that by accepting it, we will be ‘giving up without a try.’

Many in the community, and also non-community friends, are advising Muslims to ‘move on.’ But there are many who state that ‘Let’s move away from the mandir-masjid’ dispute has only helped a communal agenda and replaced the secular-democratic republic of India.’