JuH chief Madani: Will meet RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat today to discuss Ayodhya verdict

In an attempt to ensure peace is maintained once the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi verdict is announced before the retirement of Justice Ranjan Gogoi on November 17, Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind President Syed Arshad Madani will be meeting Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat and few other functionaries on Wednesday in Delhi.

After the meeting, it would be decided if the two organisations would hold a joint press conference to appeal for maintaining harmony after the verdict is announced

Madani said though both the organisations have opposite opinions on the case, both will come together to appeal for communal harmony once the verdict is announced. “We have not made any special arrangements even if the verdict comes in favour of Babri Masjid. It is the job of the government to ensure communal harmony prevails if anti-social elements from the Hindu community come out on the streets to disturb the existing peace,” said Madani exclusively to National Herald.

“People from BJP have been stating that the law and the Supreme Court is under their influence, but we have presented our side. Rajeev Dhawan underscored all that we wanted to say. Once the verdict comes, we appeal to people to stay within the law. No one should get out on the street and spread violence. While we are hopeful that the verdict will be in our favour, in either situation we appeal to all to accept the judgment and maintain peace,” added Madani at a media briefing on Wednesday.

“The Babri Masjid case is not one of only a land dispute, but a test case of the supremacy of law. The case has to be decided on hard facts and not on the basis of faith and belief. If we are asked to shift the location of the mosque, it would be considered against us,” underscored Madani.

The organisation was willing to give up its claim on the Ram Chabutra if the Hindu parties gave up their claim over the dome portion and its courtyard area.

Targeting Home Minister Amit Shah, Madani said that Shah’s statement that Hindu, Sikh Jain, Buddhist and Christian refugees would be given Indian citizenship is against the Constitution. “It is akin to tearing the Constitution and throwing it into flames. How can people be removed from a country based on religion. Nationality is above and beyond religion. This goes against the spirit of my earlier meeting with Bhagwat,” explained Madani.

He said that when Amit Shah states that Hindu have only one country, which is India, it is nothing but lies. There are Hindus all over the world in the United States, Europe, Australia and even in West Asia. “All of these countries offer citizenship without any discrimination based on religion. If that were the case, no one would get,” pointed out Madani.

The Jamiat President also spoke for the restoration of the rights of Kashmiris in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370. “It has been more than 90 days since Kashmir has been under a lock down. This is not how a country should function. The people there have been deprived of the basic human rights as even courts and healthcare services are not functioning effectively. Problems can only be solved through negotiations and the government has to take the people of Kashmir into confidence when deciding on their future,” said Madani, a teacher at Darul Uloom Deoband.

Slamming the Centre for not bringing an anti-mob-lynching law, Madani said such cases were prevalent in BJP-ruled states. “Now, three states, of which two are ruled by the Congress (Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh) are bringing in a law to curb mob-lynching. Even West Bengal is working on passing such a law. Why are the BJP states quiet? Wherever BJP is heading the state, goons are taking the law into their hands. When such incidents happen, the effect of it reverberates through the whole country. Such goons have been given a long arm in BJP ruled states,” underscored Madani.