By TCN News
London, UK: British Indian Muslims have urged the Indian Government to hand over the Babri Mosque site to Muslims and let them reconstruct the mosque there.
Marking the 20th anniversary of the demolition in 1992 of 16th century Babri Mosque in Ayodhya in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Chairman of Council of Indian Muslims—UK (CIM), Munaf Zeena in a statement issued today has said, “A systematic and pernicious campaign has been going on in India since 1947 under which a place of worship or a Muslim monument is either forcibly occupied or a small make shift temple is built in its vicinity. Slowly and gradually the temple is expanded, the monument is disfigured and damaged, its land is encroached and lastly claim is made on the whole vicinity. Babri Mosque was the first victim of this dirty scheme that was occupied with the connivance of the administration on the night of 22-23 December 1949 and was finally pulled down in full media gaze on 6 December 1992. Similar drama is currently unfolding at the Charminar in Hyderabad.
“In contrast” Zeena went on, “hundreds of historic mosques have been declared as, ‘protected monuments’ barring Muslims from praying in them.”
Zeena urged the Indian Government, “To stop this dangerous and nefarious campaign and hand back the illegally occupied historic Muslim sites and mosques to their rightful owners, the waqf boards [Muslim trusts] including the so called temple adjacent to Charminar.”
Zeena further said, “Attempts to deface Muslim monuments and occupy the land belonging to Waqf properties is a serious issue that serves a constant reminder of the ongoing discrimination against and denial of justice to the community. This is a matter of principle and everyone who believes in coexistence and plurality of the Indian society must stand against this unholy conspiracy.”
He also said that if the Government is serious about solving the Babri Mosque issue it should allow a discussion on Liberhan Commission Report in the parliament; expedite pending criminal cases against those who were involved in the demolition of Babri Mosque, compensate those who suffered in post demolition violence; activate and implement the 1991 Law for the Security of the Religious Places in order to protect such sacred places in future from intentional and deliberate damage.
“Muslims will never forget the grand injustice and historic barbarism displayed 20 years ago when the sacred structure of the Babri Mosque was allowed to be destroyed by the state and central governments.”