By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
There can be no question of dialogue before the Supreme Court gives its opinion on the Allahabad High Court verdict on the Babri Masjid title suit. Without the final verdict, dialogue on the issue at this stage is surrender in disguise, said Syed Shahabuddin in an exclusive interview with TwoCircles.net.
In a move which could take the dispute over the Babri title issue in new directions and towards newer possibilities, Syed Shahabuddin told TCN that dialogue with the Hindu side is possible even if the Supreme Court affirms the Allahabad HC’s judgment on the Babri Masjid- Ramjanambhoomi title suit.
“Even if the Supreme Court okays the High Court’s judgment, they have to have a dialogue with us because they want to build a great Hindu temple there. With one third of the original Masjid in our hands, how can they do that?” questioned Mr. Shahabuddin, who is president of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM), an umbrella body of the Indian Muslim organizations.
“We cannot rebuild a Masjid but they can’t fulfill their dream either. So there is a scope (of dialogue.)”, said this octogenarian former diplomat who also wore many hats in his diplomatic career spanning several decades.
Dialogue only after SC judgment
According to Mr. Shahabuddin, who is considered authority on the issue of Babri Masjid and had played key role in crucial stages of the case, dialogue before the final verdict on this issue doesn’t make any sense as in the absence of any formula at this stage, the dialogue won’t give any result.
“What we are saying is that let the final rights of the two parties be decided at the highest level then we shall know where we stand, where they stand and at that stage in case of a possibility of dialogue, surely we can engage; because then we know what we can give and what they have to give,” said Mr. Shahabuddin who was MP for three terms between 1979 and 1996.
Dialogue at this stage means surrender
“Without that (the final verdict) in this situation when everything is fluid, how can you talk?” asked Mr. Shahabuddin who considers the arguments for dialogue at this stage as a disguise for “surrender”.
“Today those who are asking for dialogue are actually asking for surrender,” added this former editor of Muslim India, the monthly journal of research, documentation on issues related to Indian Muslims.
Muslims’ trust in Judiciary shaken
He considered the judgment as an expression of the majoritarian view of religion and that of the perception that the religion of the majority community should prevail.
Mr. Shahabuddin didn’t deny the fact that indeed Muslims’ trust in the judiciary has shaken after this verdict; this becomes very important in the context that Indian Muslims already exhibit a strong distrust towards the majoritarian view of the Executive.
But he also expressed the hope that the verdict will be corrected by the SC.
Entire Ayodhya is Ram’s Janmabhoomi
Syed Shahabuddin argued that importance of Ram can’t be underestimated as an icon of Indian culture so in that context it would be wrong to restrict his birth place to a particular place.
“We believe that entire Ayodhya is Ram’s Janmabhoomi. How can he be restricted to a particular spot inside the Babri Masjid, he questioned.
Syed Shahabuddin
Why Babri issue still important
Replying to the critics who say that Babri Masjid should not matter for Indian Muslims as there are thousands of more important issues for them in the 21st Century, Mr. Shahabuddin said, the Babri Masjid case is important because the whole issue of Indian Muslims as equal citizen of this country and their religious rights are at stake.
“When Babri Masjid issue arose in 1986, there was a list of 300 mosques which the Sangh Parivar wanted to turn into temples. Then we decided that we can’t isolate Babri Masjid and we will fight for it for the simple reason that if we will allow this flood to demolish Babri Masjid then our other hundreds of Mosques won’t remain safe. Even the historic Jama Masjid was under the onslaught of the Sangh Parivar,” he further added.
Talking about the implication of the Allahabad HC verdict on Babri Masjid title suit he said that it can have a disastrous implication for a secular country like India.
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