Ayodhya issue: AIMPLB says it sticks to earlier resolutions

The working committee of the AIMPLB met here this evening. In a statement issued later, the board "once again emphasises the basic level of Shariah that the land dedicated for Masjid cannot be sold,

Hyderabad, Feb 9: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Friday said the land dedicated for Masjid cannot be sold, gifted or in any way alienated, reiterating its earlier stand on the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute.

The working committee of the AIMPB met here this evening. In a statement issued later, the board "once again emphasises the basic level of Shariah that the land dedicated for Masjid cannot be sold, gifted or in any way alienated." The statement was released by Maulana Umrain Mehfooz Rehmani, secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

He was accompanied by AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, who read out the statement in English. The two didn't take questions. Rehmani, however, said the Board will abide by the Supreme Court's decision in the matter.

"The All India Muslim Personal Law Board reiterates its resolution dated December, 1990 and January, 1993 and once again emphasises the basic level of Shariah that the land dedicated for Masjid cannot be sold, gifted or in any way alienated. "If once dedicated, it vests in Allah. All the attempts to negotiate the settlements in past have been infructuous and there is no proposal offering settlement without sacrificing the basic tenet has ever been put before the Board," the statement said.

The three-day 26th plenary session of the board began here today. The Supreme Court, which has started final hearings on the Ayodhya dispute, said yesterday the case was purely a "land dispute" and will be dealt with in normal course.

A 2010 verdict of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, in a 2:1 majority ruling, had ordered the disputed land be partitioned equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

PTI