Muslim group favours handing over land in Ayodhya to Hindus

A group of eminent Muslims on Thursday expressed the desire to hand over the land owned by the Muslims in Ayodhya to the Supreme Court which may, in turn, hand it over to the Central government.

At a meeting held under the aegis of 'Indian Muslims For Peace', a cross-section of Muslims including retired bureaucrats, soldiers, lawyers, journalists, doctors and businessmen, deliberated that an out-of-court settlement in the protracted Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute was the only solution that could make both Hindus and Muslims happy as no party would feel aggrieved.

Former Indian army deputy chief, Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah (retd) said that after 40 years in the army, he had come to the conclusion that war could never offer any solution.

He said that the Muslim community should realize that even if the court order was in their favour, they would not be able to construct a mosque on the spot.

"In such a situation for lasting peace and saving the country from communal holocaust, the Muslims should hand over the land to Hindus through the government of India," he said.

Lt Gen Shah said that he and his associates had made the suggestion for mediation as they had their "ears to the ground".

"What we are saying is the voice of crores of peace-loving citizens of the country. Mediation alone would bring about a permanent solution to the problem in which Hindustan would win," he said.

Retired IAS officer, Anis Ansari said that the Indian Muslims for Peace was making the effort under the Supreme Court's directions to keep the mediation process on.

He said that the group had already met senior advocate Sriram Panchu, member of the Supreme Court appointed Justice F.M.I. Kallifullah mediation committee.

He said that among the proposals placed before the committee which has since been forwarded to the apex court is the suggestion to hand over the 2.78 acre land with the Sunni Central Waqf Board to the government.

However, responding to a question, Lt Gen Shah admitted that they had not interacted with either the Nirmohi Akhara or representatives of Ram Lalla Virajman - the other two parties to the dispute.

He also said that Sunni Central Waqf Board Chairperson Zafar Ahmad Farooqui was supportive of the proposal for mediation.

The committee has also demanded expediting the cases for the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992 including the cases of the criminal conspiracy.