Ayodhya is tolerant; Muslims here noncommittal about consecration ceremony: Iqbal Ansari

Ansari, in his late 50s, in an interview at his residence in Ayodhya said the Muslim community respected the 2019 verdict of the Supreme Court on the Ram temple issue.

Ayodhya: Three weeks ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple here, Iqbal Ansari, a prominent litigant in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, on Sunday said Ayodhya is tolerant and welcomes guests in all situations.

More than a lakh of devotees are expected to descend on the temple town on the occasion of 'pran pratishtha' on January 22. According to sources, the invitee list has around 7,000 guests from India and abroad.

Ansari, in his late 50s, said in an interview at his residence that the Muslim community respected the 2019 verdict of the Supreme Court on the Ram temple issue.

Settling a fractious issue that goes back more than a century, the apex court in a historic verdict backed the construction of a Ram temple by a trust at the disputed site in Ayodhya, and ruled that an alternative five-acre plot must be found for a mosque in the Hindu holy town.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 5, 2020 had performed the 'bhoomipujan' ceremony in Ayodhya, and a month before the 'pran pratishtha', he visited the temple town on Saturday during which he held a roadshow, inaugurated the redeveloped Ayodhya railway station and the newly-built airport.

Saints and seers showered floral petals as Modi's carcade passed through Ram Path, as did many other commoners, and among them was Ansari.

”This is our tradition. We welcome guests who come to our city,” he said.

Ansari's humble home is located in Kotia Panjitola, near the Ram Path. An old green board, out up on a wall outside the main door, describes him as 'Muddai Babri Masjid'.

”I was standing there on the turning of the road that leads to our neighbourhood, and as his (PM's) carcade passed by, I showered petals, to welcome him to the city,” he said.

The video of his act has since gone viral and also left many from both communities surprised.

”There are many kinds of people in this country. Those having a wrong mindset may criticise me for (what I did). He is our country's prime minister and he came to Ayodhya. And, welcoming guests is our duty and that is what I did,” Ansari said.

”Ayodhya is a religious city. People from all religions and castes come here out of their faith. Every person coming from outside is our guest. We will welcome them in all situations,” he added.

Asked if he has received invite to the consecration ceremony, Ansari said in a hushed tone, ”No, I haven't.”

With more than a lakh of people expected in the town for the religious event on January 22, the Ayodhya administration and the state government have pulled out all the stops to ready the city for the grand ceremony which will be attended by Prime Minister Modi.

Asked how Muslims in Ayodhya are looking at the 'pran pratishtha', Ansari said the Muslim community in the holy city is 'noncommittal' about the consecration ceremony, and 'not thinking anything about it'.

”It is Ayodhya. Many people will come, it's good, they come and have a 'darshan', do worship. People come in fairs. Ayodhya is tolerant,” he asserted.

”Muslims don't do much politics. So, people of the Muslim community are not thinking anything about it. They are there, where they are,” he said.

”Lakhs of people are coming, they will do worship and 'darshan'...like they do it in Kumbh Mela (in Allahabad). VVIPs, big industrialists will come, devotees will come. There is no issue. Good people will come and there will be arrangements from the government,” he added.

He added, he cannot speak for his community, but 'this is my opinion'.

Ansari father Hashim Ansari, who died in 2016 in his late 90s, was one of the main litigants in the Ayodhya case till his demise.

In the living room, a framed old black and white photograph of Babri Masjid, dating early 1900 and courtesy of the British Library, hangs on one side of the wall, and a poster carrying images of his late father and of the mosque on the other.

He feels the contentious issue had 'practically ended' over 30 years ago, when the 16th century mosque was brought down.

On December 6, 1992 a frenzied mob of kar sewaks gathered in the holy town from from different parts of the country, had demolished the mosque, triggering communal violence in many parts of the country.

The dispute over the site of Babri Masjid, a three-domed mosque built by or at the behest of Moghul emperor Babur in 1528, dates back centuries with Hindus contending that the invading Muslim armies had razed an existing Ram temple to erect the mosque, a claim rejected by Muslims.

Soon after the verdict in 2019 Ansari had told PTI that ”Ayodhya ka prem amar hai,” but now he doesn't wish to dwell on the matter.

”What has happened once, has happened. We don't repeat that matter. What incidents have taken place, we don't do politics over it. We are social workers. Muslims of India have forgotten what has happened,” he said.