Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi (SHP)
New Delhi, Oct 11: As the date for the final Ayodhya hearing draws closer, a group of Muslim intellectuals has called for negotiation. The group has opted to 'gift' the disputed land to the Hindus even if the Muslims win the case. The group comprises of intellectual Muslims like Vice-Chancellor Lieutenant General Zameer Uddin Shah, who has served as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff. The group refers to themselves as 'Indian Muslims for Peace.'
General Shah explained his view by stating that even though the Muslims win the case, the dream of building a mosque in the area will not be achieved. Given the sensitive atmosphere in the country, a wise thing to do would be to gift the land to the Hindus. Thereby, strengthening the places of worship amendment act.
It was observed that most of the prominent stakeholders in the Ayodhya case were withdrawing their claim to the land. Sunni Central Waqf board also professed to withdraw their claim of the land to the court-appointed three-member mediation panel. After the panel failed to arrive at a verdict, the Supreme Court conducted day-to-day hearings of the case.
Supreme Court declared that the last hearing on the Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid case will be on October 17, a day sooner than the earlier schedule. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi is hearing the case. The judgement in the matter is to be pronounced by November 17, the day the Chief Justice will retire.
Fourteen appeals have been filed in the top court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgment, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land in Ayodhya is partitioned equally among the three parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. On December 6, 1992, the Babri Masjid was demolished, sparking communal riots across the country.