Babri petitioner's stand gives twist to Ayodhya row

Move triggers intel alert in Ayodhya

Oldest Babri litigant Hashim Ansari’s sudden decision to withdraw from the Ram temple-Babri masjid title suits, has ‘exposed rift in the ranks of the Muslim petitioners in the 64-year old-dispute.

The move has also triggered an intelligence alert in the twin towns of Faizabad and Ayodhya, ahead of the 22nd anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Mosque on December 6.

While a section of the Muslim petitioners have maintained that Hashim Ansari’s withdrawal from the case will not have any impact on the legal battle, which has reached the Supreme Court, some others have accused 93-year-old Ansari of “playing into the hands of communal forces”.

Haji Mehboob, one of the petitioners, said that Ansari’s remarks were nothing but a ‘tactic to put pressure’ on the Muslims and `garner sympathies' of the opposite side.

Uttar Pradesh Central Sunni Waqf Board also slammed Ansari and said that his exit will not impact the case in any manner. The Board also apprehended some ‘conspiracy’ behind Hashim’s ‘about turn’ in the matter. The Board is also  a petitioner in the title suits.

UP minister Azam Khan has also joined the issue. In a statement here on Thursday, Azam suspected a conspiracy behind Ansari’s sudden withdrawal from the case. Ansari’s remarks have also put the intelligence agencies on the alert in Ayodhya and Faizabad.

The security agencies apprehend that the temple town might witness influx of people to meet Ansari, posing problems to them.

An alert has already been sounded in the twin towns in view of the Babri masjid demolition anniversary and security has been beefed up in and around all important religious buildings and public places like railway stations.

Ansari had said that he would no longer be a party to the dispute and would also not take part in the protests slated for Saturday at Ayodhya on the 22nd anniversary of the  demolition.“I want to see Ram Lala free”, Ansari said, lamenting that the entire issue had been ‘politicised’.