Barring a few Muslim bodies and political personalities, a majority of those from the minority segment accepted the Ayodhya verdict, while Hindus expressed happiness, terming the judgment balanced and right.
Soon after the apex court order, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) tweeted that the “judgment is against its expectations” while Navaid Hamid, president of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, an umbrella body of several Muslim organisations, expressed surprise over the ruling, saying that it was a matter of concern that evidences have not been proved.
AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi too expressed unhappiness at the apex court ruling which he said was a “victory of faith over facts”. He said the judgment was final, but “we are not satisfied with it. We reject the offer of five acres of land”.
However, representing the Hindu community, organisations like Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Nirmohi Akhara described the verdict on the Ayodhya land dispute as a “decisive step” towards construction of a “grand” Ram temple and urged the Central Government to take speedy steps on the directions issued by the top court.
Lawyer of Hindu Mahasabha, Varun Kumar Sinha, said, “It is a historic judgment. With this, the Supreme Court has given the message of unity in diversity.”
Meanwhile, Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani, Vice-Chancellor of the Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband, also expressed surprise over the ruling. “I feel there were enough evidences in favour of the mosque but these were not taken into consideration,” Nomani said.
However, prominent Muslim body Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind decided to tread cautiously saying the verdict was not according to its expectations but the apex court ruling was “supreme” for it.
Jamiat president Maulana Arshad Madani urged Muslims not to be disappointed and appealed them to maintain peace and harmony in the country and not take the verdict as a “win or loss”. Similarly, Jama Masjid’s Shahi Imam and Shia Cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad said, “The SC verdict is correct because we all had said that we will accept the verdict delivered by the SC.” It’s their (Muslim Personal law board) right to file review petition but I think the matter should just end now, said Jawad.
Though initially, Sunni Waqf Board lawyer Zafaryab Jilani, had said that it will seek a review of the judgment, later the Board declared that it was happy with the judgment and there were no plans to review the order.
National Commission for Minorities chairperson Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi felt that the Muslims were happy with the verdict. “It could not have been a better judgment. This verdict will be a symbol of national unity. It will set an example for brotherhood and fraternity,” Rizvi said.
In Jaipur, spiritual head of the Ajmer Dargah Deewan Zainul Abedin Ali Khan welcomed the verdict and said the judiciary is supreme and everyone should respect the decision.
“We accept the final order of the Supreme Court. We are also happy that the SC rejected the appeal of the Shia Wakf Board and Nirmohi Akhada. We accept that a five-acre land is given to the Sunni Central Wakf board to build the masjid,” said Maulana Mehboob Daryadi, general secretary of All India Ulema Council (AIUC).
Echoing similar views, Sriram Sena chief Pramod Muthalik said, “It is a victory of Hindus after their 500 years of struggle and sacrifices,” while the VHP working president Alok Kumar described the court order as one of the “greatest” judicial verdicts in the world and added that the Supreme Court judges discharged their responsibilities very well.
Kartik Chopra, spokesperson, Nirmohi Akhara said that it was “grateful that the SC has recognised our fight of last 150 years and has given the Nirmohi Akhara adequate representation in the trust to be set up by the Central Government to build and manage the Shri Ram Janmasthan temple.”