AIMPLB accepts ‘disassociation’ of Nadvi after controversial suggestion on Babri Masjid issue

On the third and final day of its 26th plenary, the All Indian Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) accepted the "disassociation" of Maulana Salman Hussaini Nadvi from its board. Nadvi had defied the AIMPLB on the Babri Masjid issue.

The action against Nadvi, a member of the board's executive committee, came on the proposal of a four-member committee. Board Secretary Zafaryab Jilani told reporters that the committee's proposal was accepted unanimously at the general body meeting.

Nadvi, an eminent cleric, had triggered a row on the eve of the plenary by mooting a proposal after his meeting with Sri Sri Ravishankar that the disputed land in Ayodhya, where the Babri Masjid stood till December 6, 1992, may be handed over for construction of Ram temple.

Jilani, a member of Babri Masjid committee of the board, said Nadvi's proposal was against the consistent stand of the board that the land of mosque can never be sold, gifted or exchanged and that the matter should be decided by the Supreme Court.

Nadvi had attended the executive committee meeting on Friday night and some members demanded action against him for speaking publicly against the board's stand. Jilani said Nadvi was given an opportunity to clarify but he stood by his stand.

The next day he did not attend the plenary and in an interview, reiterated his proposal and made allegations against the board. He also announced that he will form a separate body.

Asked why no action was taken against Vice President Maulana Kalbe Sadiq for mooting a similar proposal last year, the board leaders said he had retracted his statement.

Jilani said the board had not authorised any of its members to meet Ravishankar or any other Hindu religious leader for talks on Ayodhya dispute. He said some members may have met them in their personal capacity. "I also met him (Ravishankar) in 2002 and asked him to send proposal for resolution of the issue to the board president and general secretary but he did not send any proposal," he said. Further, Jilani said the board in its Lucknow meeting in April last year clearly stated that there is no possibility of any settlement through negotiations and the issue should be decided by the Supreme Court. Jilani said Haji Mahboob, a petitioner in the Ayodhya case had also met Ravishankar but he did not favour surrendering Babri Masjid land.

Executive committee member Kalam Faruqui denied that he met Ravishankar in Delhi last year.

Board secretary Moulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani said that all Islamic schools of thought are unanimous that the land on which a mosque is built can't be given for temple or for any other purpose and that it remains mosque for eternity.

He said some people in Hanbali sect are of the opinion that if an area is deserted and 'namaz' is not being offered in a mosque, it will not remain a mosque. "There are 5,000 Muslims in Ayodhya and namaz was offered in Babri Masjid till the night when some people kept idols there," he said.