Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board, a main litigant in Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit, welcomed the Supreme Court verdict, saying it had no plan to challenge it and file a review or curative petition against it.
“We welcome the Supreme Court verdict on the vexed issue. The Sunni Waqf Board
has no plan to challenge it. As of now, the verdict is being studied thoroughly, after which the Sunni Waqf Board will issue a detailed statement. If any lawyer or any other person claiming to represent Muslims says something against the apex court verdict, then it has nothing to do with the stand of Sunni Central Waqf Board, UPSCWB Chairman Zufar Farooqui said in Lucknow on Saturday.
Minutes after the Supreme Court verdict was announced, All-India Muslim Personal Law Board secretary and convenor of Babri Masjid Action Committee Zafaryab Jilani had said that they respected the verdict but were not satisfied’ by it.
Farooqui said, “I, as Chairman of UPSCWB, want to make it clear that the Board will not go for any review of the order or file any curative petition. Hence any statement by any individual, lawyer or an organisation which mentions that the UPSCWB will go in for a review is not our line.”
Speaking on the issue of allotment of five acres of alternative land to the Sunni Waqf Board for the construction of a mosque, Farooqui said, “We welcome and respect the Supreme Court verdict. We will consult with Board members about where to seek the land and then decided further on the issue.”
Farooqui also said that the Sunni Waqf Board was grateful to the apex court for setting aside the “erroneous observation” of one of the judges of Allahabad High Court in its 2010 ruling, which diluted provision of Places of Worship Act, 1991.