'Nobody should have objection to SC's Ayodhya verdict'

BSP MP Afzal Ansari has said that nobody should have any objection to the Supreme Court's unanimous verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute.

"It's my personal view that after the unanimous verdict of the Supreme Court on the Ayodhya dispute, there should be not any objection to anyone. Muslim representatives used to say that they will respect the SC decision. So now they should not object to it," Ansari said on Sunday evening.

When told about All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) General Secretary Maulana Wali Rahmani's statement that 99 per cent of Muslims in the country want a review of the Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya dispute, Ansari said, "It is my view, and I am not imposing it on anyone."

"It was an unanimous decision of five judges... It should be respected," he said.

The Supreme Court in its November 9 verdict had said the entire 2.77 acres of disputed land should be handed over to the deity Ram Lalla, who was one of the three litigants. The five-judge Constitution bench also directed the Centre to allot a five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board in Ayodhya to build a mosque.

A petition seeking review of the judgment was filed in the apex court on Monday. Maulana Syed Ashhad Rashidi, legal heir of original litigant M Siddiq, has filed the review plea saying that the judgment suffers from "errors apparent on record and warrants a review under Article 137 of the Constitution of India".

Apart from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has also said a review petition will be filed before December 9. However, the Sunni Central Waqf Board has decided against filing a review plea. The Waqf board also said that it was yet to take a call on whether to accept a five-acre plot for a mosque.

Rahmani had said on Sunday, "Muslims trust judiciary that is why a review petition is being filed. However, the trust has weakened after the SC verdict on Ayodhya."

"Ninety-nine per cent of Muslims of the country are in favour of a review petition. If it is understood that a big section is against this, it is wrong," he had said.