Efforts of Shia Waqf Board for an out-of-court negotiated settlement of the vexed issue Ayodhya issue ran into rough weather on Wednesday with the All India Shia Muslim Personal law Board declining to support the proposal of Shia Waqf Board.
The Shia Personal law Board said that it supported the stand of Sunni dominated All India Muslim personal law board (AIMPlB) on the Ayodhya issue. The AIMPlB refused to accept mediation of spiritual Guru Sri Sri Ravishankar in the dispute.
Sri Sri met Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in lucknow on Wednesday and is slated to visit Ayodhya on Thursday to meet the other stake holders – mahants of the temple town and members of Ramjnma Bhoomi Nyas floated by Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
"We stand by AIMPlB on the Ram Mandir issue. We will accept the court verdict but such talks won’t be fruitful. The Board will not accept any formula where a message goes out that the Muslims have to surrender their claim on Babri mosque," said Maulana Yasoob of Shia Personal law Board.
``I am against Mughal emperor Babar and Aurangzeb and their successors but we cannot compromise on the issue of mosque as it’s the house of Allah," he asserted.
Meanwhile, President of Shia Ulema Board Maulana Zahir Abbas Rizvi said that there was no question of any surrender by Muslims on the Ram temple issue but he stressed the need for unity among Muslims.
Maulana Rizvi, who is also member of AISPlB, said that there should be a consensus among Muslims so that their genuine demands were not ignored. He said that some people of Shia community were indulging in politics on the dispute.
Shia community sources said the reason for the Shia Personal law Board striking a discordant note is the bad chemistry between Shia Waqf Board chairman Wasim Rizvi and Shia Personal law Noard leaders.
Reacting to the stand taken by AISPlB, Shai Waqf Board chairman Rizvi said that everyone was free to take a stand. "I have nothing to say on it and will submit my formula for resolving the issue in the court," he said.
Rizvi said that he was busy preparing a draft of his formula for solving the Ayodhya issue and it would be placed before Supreme Court during its hearing slated from December 5.
Earlier, the AIMPlB too, had rejected Sri Sri’s offer of talks for amicable resolution to the Ram temple issue and said that only the court could solve the matter.
AIMPlB member and Babri Masjid Action Committee convener Zafaryaab Jilani said that there was no point in meeting Sri Sri Ravi Shankar at this juncture.
"We are not aware of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar'sproposal. If his proposal is that Muslims should withdraw their claim on Babri masjid then the AIMPlB has already rejected this. If he has some other proposal then he should consult Vishwa Hindu Parishad, get their consent and then send a written proposal to the AIMPlB which we will consider,‘’said Jilani.
Jilani asserted, "There is no dispute among the various sects of Muslims on the issue be it Shia, Sunni, Barelvi, Deobandi or Ahle Hadis. An overwhelming majority of the community is against surrendering claim on the mosque at Ayodhya.’’