Shia Waqf Board chief lists nine disputed shrine to be handed over to Hindus; writes to PM

New Delhi, July 25: President of Uttar Pradesh Central Shia Waqf Board Syed Wasim Rizvi has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to repeal the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. He also demanded that nine important Hindu temples demolished by foreign looters and Mughals must be given back to Hindu to rebuilt temples there. However, the Shia leader missed to include Bhojshala-Kamal Maula mosque which too is very much in dispute between Hindu and Muslims for long.

The Shia Waqf Board listed that Ram Temple in Ayodhya (matter in the SC), Keshav Dev Temple, Mathura, Atala Devi Temple, Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varansi, Uttar Pradesh, Rudra Mahalaya Temple, Batna, Gujarat, Bhadrakali Temple, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Adina Mosque, Panduwa, West Bengal, Vijaya Temple, Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh and Quwwat ul Islam Temple, Qutub Complex, New Delhi.

Shia Waqf Board president Syed Wasim Rizvi told One India that the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 has been passed by the Congress government in Parliament to protect such monuments that were demolish by looters who came to India centuries ago. The only solution to these problems is that this Act must be repealed as stay from the court on such places is not solution to these issues.

Rizvi said that this act was opposed by many leaders in the country including Union minister Uma Bharati. "I will seek time from the PM to request him to repeal this law to allow ancient temple to be rebuilt to their glory as that is the only way to prevail harmony in the country," Rizvi said. He further said that any place that was forcefully occupied cannot be used for religious purposes as per Islam and offering Namaj there is illegitimate.

But there is not unanimity within the community on the issue. A Sunni scholar on condition of anonymity said that Rizvi sahib was trying to save himself from the hands of law by such gimmicks and to keep the present dispensation happy. The matter of Ayodhya is in court and let the court decide while racking up other issue will cause disharmony in the country.

Rizvi said that as per the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, all religious monuments will remain as they were prior to 1947 except Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri mosque. This has protected all disputed mosques but this will keep enmity between Hindu and Muslim alive. The move was dubbed as to fetch Muslim votes for the Congress. Moreover, Muslims are allowed to offer prayers in these disputed sites.

By this process mosques were given legal protection but this protection is not for offering namaj. Moreover as per sharia offering namaj in these places is not appropriate but due to vested interest such things are happening and namaj is offered at disputed places. This is also done to vitiate environment of the country. On Bhojshala issue Rizvi was not sure but said that he included all such temple in it. If there is any such monument it must be given to Hindus.