Ayodhya verdict: Muslims wish to reject 5-acre land

Hyderabad: A majority of Muslims are of the view that the Sunni Wakf Board must not take the five acres of land awarded to it in the Ayodhya verdict. The Supreme Court had asked the central and state government of Uttar Pradesh to provide this land to the Wakf Board for building a new mosque.

Many Muslims had a consternation over the award — why must we take that land? They reflect a common view of the community that the fight in court was not for land. The judgement of the Supreme Court was the highest, and final, and there was no alternative but to abide by it.

There is anger, despair and dejection in the community but they have decided to be largely silent on social media. Instead, in one-to-one discussions at homes, in conversations with friends  the debate has taken over the attention of the entire Muslim community.

Momin Roshan Zameer, an advocate, said that if we had wanted land for a masjid, “we could have pooled our resources and built one. We do not need this land as it will always remind us of the 500-year-old masjid we lost. The court has not taken our evidence into account but we have stood strong and maintained peace. We have demonstrated that we are not violent. We ha-ve followed the true principles of Islam. We are going to abide by court orders and show that we are true nationalists.”

Given that there is no scope to protest against the order of the Supreme Court, the Muslim community has decided that they would not accept what is offered to them. It is going to be a silent act of protest to bring to notice of the government that they were not happy with the verdict. The community at large does not want to pursue with the government for land.

Zuber Gopalani, an educationist, says, “Despite not being happy with the verdict, there has been commendable restrain. People have been hurt but they have refrained from showing it. If we take the land, it would always stand before us as a blot. It will be a barter. History will remember us as Babri masjid ke saudagar.”

The offer of land has come as a blow to people, who cannot come to terms with it. But some in the community are apprehensive — what if the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Wakf Board takes the land? There are some who opine that even if the Board takes the land, it would merely be a government institution adhering to a court order, to which, the community would not want to be a part of.

However, a minority within the minority community, mostly youngsters, received the court’s award of land, with a positive attitude.

Firoze Ansari, an IT professional, told this newspaper, “We are dejected but we must use this as an opportunity. We have to reject hatred. It cannot be done by rejecting what is being offered to us. We must take the land and build a hospital or a school. It will serve generations to come.”

Youngsters believe that it would also help them showcase the manner in which they accepted and embraced dejection by paving way for an institution, which could serve people of all communities.

They argue that it would be a step forward towards harmony and a break from the past.