AIMPLB indulging in shadow boxing, review petition won't succeed, believe Hindutva leaders

By Pragya Kaushika
New Delhi (India), Nov 17 (ANI): The day All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) decided to file a review petition in the Supreme Court against its Ayodhya verdict, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international working president Alok Kumar on Sunday took a dig at AIMPLB and Asaduddin Owaisi for refusing to accept the judgment.
Speaking to ANI, Kumar said that the AIMPLB was not a party in the case and has no locus standi.
"They are indulging in shadow boxing. They themselves have accepted that the review petition has no chance of success. All they are doing is to placate their followers," he said.
"And I have seen a gentleman's statement from Hyderabad that he doesn't need 5-acre land. Who is giving him the land?," stated Kumar in an apparent jibe at Owaisi.
David Frawley, a scholar and Hindu activist too has an opinion on the matter.
While speaking to ANI, Frawley said that the petition won't make any impact as the AIMPLB doesn't have people's support to file review. The scholar stated that it is the social justice that the land went to the temple.
Frawley, who was in the national capital to address a seminar on social justice policies of the Modi government, said that Muslims abroad have not heard of the Babri Masjid and they should not justify their claims on the temple as Hindus can't claim that they own Mecca.
"There are many mosques in India that are more well known than the Babri Masjid. And I don't think they have the support to claim again on the land. They can't justify to own that site (Ayodhya) like Hindu can't claim they own Mecca. They have the right to ask for a review. It won't be making any impact," stated Frawley.
The Hindu scholar said that Muslims should recognise India as a Hindu majority country.
"They can respect some Hindu sentiments. So many temples were destroyed by the Muslim invaders. In fact, a better appreciation in the form of land is given to them, " added Frawley, who also claimed that not many Muslims outside India have heard about the Babri mosque.
Frawley stated that Babri mosque was hardly used for prayers and had been a disputed site for long. And that it may be some sort of issue for Pakistan but not for other Islamic countries.
"Almost no Muslims outside India have heard about the Babri mosque. It's never been an issue for them. In India, this mosque was hardly used and always disputed. You can't have some joint occupation of a small site that raises disputes in two communities. In another year or two, this won't be an issue and has never been an issue for Islamic countries except maybe for Pakistan this is something of an issue," said Frawley.
Koenraad Elst, who authored books on Ayodhya and is considered as a rightwing Hindu activist, spoke extensively on how the government should not 'usurp' the trust and let the Hindus engaged in rituals manage it.
"I believe that it should be managed by Hindus involved in routine traditions and rituals performed at the site. It can play a role model of how things can be done. Not all Hindus are Rama worshippers. I believe it should be given to the Hindus who actually perform rituals and not to those who usurp it and pocket the gains from it as other governments did," stated Elst.
"With this Hindu government, we may have a chance to do it right this time. To form a trust and serves Hindu purposes," opined Elst.
The decision at AIMPLB meeting to file a review petition against the verdict of the Supreme Court over Ayodhya issue comes after many Muslim organisations accepted the apex court's verdict in the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmbhoomi title suit. (ANI)