In a coincidence, AIMPLB filed review petition on anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition

In what seems to be a coincidence, All India Muslim Personal Law Board will be filing its review petition in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title suit on Friday, December 6, which would be the 27th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition.

December 6 is the last day for filing the review petition in the case. “We filed the review petition on Friday. We had decided this last week itself. It’s only a coincidence that the date is December 6. Rajeev Dhawan will be our lawyer and there is no doubt about it,” asserted AIMPLB member Kamal Farooqui.

Farooqui underlined that Dhawan was their lawyer after news had come out on December 2, 2019, that that advocate on record Ejaz Maqbool had removed Rajeev Dhavan as the lawyer of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. Dhavan wrote on Facebook that he had accepted the “sacking without demur”. However, JUH clarified that Dhavan would continue to represent the Muslim party and that they would issue and apology to Dhavan.

The review petition was filed through advocates on record MR Shamshad and Shakil Ahmad Syed and were settled by Rajeev Dhawan and Zafaryab Jilani. The petitioners have sought review of their judgement.

Farooqui underlined that Dhawan would be their lawyer after news had come out on December 2, 2019, that that advocate on record Ejaz Maqbool had removed Rajeev Dhavan as the lawyer of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. Dhavan wrote on Facebook that he had accepted the “sacking without demur”. However, JUH clarified that Dhavan would continue to represent the Muslim party and that they would issue an apology to Dhavan.

Anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition

On December 6, 1992, a frenzied mob of volunteers, who had gathered in the temple city of Ayodhya on the call of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demolished the 16th-century mosque amidst chants of “Mandir yahin banayege”. They were claiming that Lord Rama was born at that very site and several of the Hindu volunteers were collecting the fallen bricks as a souvenir. More than 2,000 people were killed in the riots that followed the demolition.

This year, the anniversary comes barely a month after the Supreme Court ruling on the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title suit. Security has been tightened in Ayodhya and the police officers in the state said that security arrangements similar to what had been done ahead of the pronouncement of the verdict in November.

"As many as 78 sandbag posts have been established with armed policemen. Barriers have been put in place to control traffic. As many as 269 police pickets have been in sensitive areas," Tiwari said.

Ayodhya's senior police officer Ashish Tiwari added that 305 troublemakers had been identified and action was being initiated against them. He said people had been appealed to immediately inform police about any suspicious activity or people.

The public had also been asked not to fall prey to any rumour mongering and maintain harmony, he said. "Stress has been laid on confidence-building measures," police said, adding that they had contacted traders, academics and others in this regard.