"Naming mosque after Babur not unconstitutional": All India Imam Association President on Babri Masjid row

New Delhi [India], December 7 (ANI): Amid the Babri Masjid controversy that erupted after suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir laid the foundation stone of the Mosque in West Bengal's Murshidabad, All India Imam Association President Maulana Sajid Rashidi on Sunday said that naming a Mosque after Mughal emperor Babur is not unconstitutional.
Speaking to ANI, Rashidi said, "The Constitution runs the country, not the Geeta or the Quran. The Constitution grants the right to construct places of worship. If a mosque is being built in the name of Babur, Jahangir or Akbar, it is not unconstitutional. When the court gave a decision in Ayodhya, the Muslims were silent. But that doesn't mean that creating a masjid named after Babur anywhere is now unconstitutional."
He further accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of protecting Humayun Kabir.
Rashidi added, "Mamata Banerjee has engaged in politics on this issue more than anyone else. Why is Humayun Kabir not being arrested if he is involved in communal politics? He should be thrown in jail, but instead gets protection. Mamata Banerjee has let that happen; all the arrangements were already in place. And, you can see that Humayun Kabir was very confident with the act yesterday. One big thing that happened was atleast 15 lakh bricks were already there (at the mosque site).
"That is a separate matter that he has also declared to create other establishments like a museum, a library, alongwith the mosque. But, the real goal is mosque only, and building of mosque is not unconstitutional, and for the dharam gurus to say that they are gonna punish people who named the mosque Babri is also unconstitutional," the All India Imam Association President said.
Suspended TMC MLA Kabir laid the foundation stone for the construction of Babri Masjid in Murshidabad on Saturday, amid widespread criticism.
He had drawn attention to the constitutional right to build places of worship and said that he is not doing anything unconstitutional, "as anyone can make a temple or church, so can I".
Addressing the Murshidabad gathering, Kabir said, "I am not doing anything unconstitutional. Anyone can build a temple, anyone can build a church; I will build a mosque. It is being said that we cannot build the Babri Masjid. It is not written anywhere. The Supreme Court gave a judgment which stated that the Hindu people had demolished the Babri Masjid."
Kabir asserted that legal challenges would not deter the mosque's construction, "Five cases have been filed against me, but no one can stop someone with whom Allah is. The court has also clearly stated that it is written in the Constitution of India that one can build a mosque; it is a right."
Kabir added that a 300-crore budget has been allocated for the mosque, which will also include a hospital, guesthouse, and meeting hall. He reiterated his commitment to the project and said, "It is a promise of the Muslims: The Babri Masjid will be built, it will be built, it will be built." (ANI)