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Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board is not averse to talks with Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati on the Ayodhya issue.
Stating this at his first media conference in Hyderabad on Monday, the newly-elected president of AIMPLB, Maulana Mohammed Rabey Nadwi said, "When he contacts us and extends us a formal invitation, we will have consultations with our board members and legal luminaries and respond to his offer. We will see in what way we can extend cooperation to him."
Responding to a spate of queries on the Babri Masjid -- Ram Janmabhoomi issue, the Maulana made it clear that the Board, which is fighting the title suit of Babri Masjid before the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court, would await the court verdict on the issue.
The Maulana said the Board was the only authoritative body to discuss the Babri Masjid -- Ram Janmabhoomi issue with the representatives of the Hindu community.
Reminded that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad had taken up an opinion survey in Ayodhya to gather the views of the local people there on the masjid -- mandir row, he said that the issue now 'concerned the entire country' and it was 'not confined' to Ayodhya.
He recalled that the Shankaracharya earlier tried to talk to the people of Ayodhya to thrash out the issue but he realised that All India Muslim Personal Law Board was the right body to talk to.
To a query how would the Board talk to the representatives of the organisations that were responsible for the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992, Maulana Rabey Nadvi said, "We would like to talk to neutral elements who are not a party to the dispute and who can think justly. We can talk to the (Union) government."
"The issue is not who destroyed the mosque. The fact is that the mosque has been destroyed. It was demolished when the matter was pending in the court. So, it was a wrong done to us. We want that wrong undone," the Board president said.
He said, "Indian Muslims are second to none in their loyalty to the nation and we will come out strongly to defend our country if any harm comes from any quarters."
"We are the citizens of this country. We swear by the Constitution of India. We will defend the country with all our might if anybody tries to play mischief," he said.
The Maulana said that the Board was perturbed over what happened in Gujarat in the last few months 'since if any brother is put to hardship, we go to his rescue. Similarly, when our brethren are subjected to atrocities in Gujarat, we are with them in their hour of crisis'.
He said, "The madrassas are centres of religious and ethical learning. They have nothing to do with terrorism. Those who are indulging in baseless and misleading propaganda against these madrassas are seeking to destroy the religious, cultural and ethical identity of the Muslims. We resolve to counter this nefarious campaign."
He said that those trying to run down the madrassas were only resorting to 'ulti shikayat (counter-complaint)' to cover up their own black deeds.
"So far the madrassas are concerned, their functioning is transparent. We had told the Uttar Pradesh police that they are free to inspect and go around our madrassas, the classrooms and hostels anytime -- whether in the day or night -- to see for themselves what is imparted there," he said.
He said that it was unfair to blame the entire community if somebody committed a crime.
Quoting the Holy Quran that 'if anybody kills a man, he commits the murder of entire humanity', he said that Allah warned every believer not to do any harm to anyone.
"Allah forbids anyone from taking away somebody's maal (wealth), izzat (honour) and khoon (blood). And, if anybody commits any offence, it is as serious as committing a crime during Haj pilgrimage," he said.
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