Ayodhya Dispute: ‘They Have no Say in The Matter,’ Babri Masjid Panel on Muslim Intellectuals’ Appeal to ‘Give Land to Hindu Brothers’

The suggestion by the outfit came ahead of the expected final day of hearing in the longstanding Ayodhya case.

New Delhi: After an outfit of ’eminent Muslim citizens’ Thursday said that the disputed 2.77-acre land site in Ayodhya should be handed over to the Hindus as a ‘goodwill gesture’, All India Babri Masjid Action Committee convenor Zafaryab Jilani Friday dismissed the appeal saying “they have no say in the matter”.

“I know Lt Gen Zamir Shah…but who else knows him? Who are they to offer the Ayodhya land as a gesture of goodwill? Does the larger Muslim population know anything about them? I don’t know what their agenda is and I don’t care what they have to say in the matter. Not even 0.1% Muslims know who they are,” News18 quoted Jilani as saying.

The suggestion by the outfit came a week ahead of the expected final day of hearing in the longstanding Ayodhya case.

The outfit, known as ‘Indian Muslims for Peace’, includes retired bureaucrats, soldiers, lawyers, journalists, doctors and businessmen. It counts among its members the likes of former Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) vice-chancellor Lieutenant General (Retired) Zameer Uddin Shah, former IPS officers Nisar Khan and Vibhuti Narain Rai and ex-IAS officer Anis Ansari.

Further, on Thursday, Lt. Gen Shah, who retired as the Deputy Chief of the Army in 2008, had asserted, “Even if the Supreme Court gives judgment in favour of Muslims, it is impossible to rebuild the mosque.”  He had added,  “In case judgement is in favour of Muslims, for lasting peace in country, Muslims should hand over the land to Hindu brothers. There has to be a solution otherwise we’ll go on fighting. I strongly support out-of-court settlement.”

The Ayodhya case is currently being heard by a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court.