AIMPLB hopes SC verdict on Ayodhya land dispute will be in Muslims' favour

With the Supreme Court hearing on the title suit over the 2.77 acre of disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land nearing completion, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Saturday expressed hope that the court's ruling on the vexed Ayodhya issue will be in favour of Muslims.

After its executive committee meeting chaired by its chairman Rabey Hasan Nadvi, the Board also termed the Unform Civil Code as "impractical", not only for Muslims but other communities as well.

The board added that it would also examine the prospect of challenging the Constitutional validity of the legislative enactment which has made the customary law on triple talaq a penal offence.

The AIMPLB deliberated upon all three issues in its executive committee meeting, a Board office bearer told PTI requesting anonymity.

"The committee members expressed satisfaction over the strong legal points made by senior counsel representing the Muslim side before the court. The Muslim side has strong arguments and we are hopeful that the apex court judgement will be in our favour," he said.

The AIMPLB also deliberated upon the Uniform Civil Code, he said adding, the board's stand remains intact on the issue.

"This (Uniform Civil Code) is not beneficial for India, and it cannot be implemented at the ground level. It is impractical not only for Muslims, but also for other non-Muslim communities like the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes," he said.

On the anti-triple talaq law, he said, the members felt that the new enactment law will prove to be harmful not only for the husband, but also for the future of the wife and children.

"Whether it can be challenged in a court of law will be decided by the board's legal committee," he said.

The AIMPLB meeting was attended by a number of senior office bearers of the Board including its vice president Fakhruddin Ashraf Kichhauchhvi, general secretary Maulana Wali Rehmani, board's senior members Zafaryab Jilani and Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali and Jamait-e-Ulema Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madni.

A group of Muslim intellectuals incidentally on October 10 had suggested an out-of-court settlement of the vexed Ayodhya issue, stressing that it would help establish peace in the country if Muslims hand over the disputed land to the Central government as a "goodwill gesture".

Convenor Kalam Khan of the newly-formed "Indian Muslims for peace", had said in a press statement that a meeting of the forum held on Thursday passed a resolution favouring out-of-court settlement of the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute.

He had said the group would prefer out-of-court settlement so that both Hindus and Muslims remain happy and no party feels aggrieved.

"Keeping in view of our secular, democratic fabric and centuries-old relations with our Hindu brothers, the disputed land owned by Muslims of India may be handed over by the Hon'able Supreme Court of India to the Government of India as a goodwill gesture for attaining communal harmony and lasting peace in the Country," he had said.