No differences within AIMPLB, says board

Members of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Saturday rejected media speculation of there being differences among them in the wake of Maulana Salman Nadvi's statement that he supported the construction of Ram Mandir at the disputed site in Ayodhya and favoured an out of court settlement on the issue.

"When court's verdict comes, it will be a constitutional move, but court does not join peoples' hearts. The decision is always in favour of one and against the other. We want that when both parties come out of the court, they must be happy," an AIMPLB executive member said on condition of anonymity.

AIMPLB secretary Zafaryab Jilani also rubbished rumours of there being differences in viewpoints within the board.

"The board is intact. There is no conflict," he said.

He confirmed that Maulana Nadvi was given full opportunity to express his views.

"Maulana Salman was given full opportunity, so were other members. Each one expressed their views and ultimately this decision was taken," he said.

Jilani said that Maulana Salman has claimed that the media failed to address his full statement , which came out after his meeting with Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

Jilani's reaction came after the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) working committee held a meeting on February 9 to find a solution to the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute.

The three-day 26th plenary session of the AIMPB began here on Friday.

Earlier on February 8, the three-judge Supreme Court bench fixed March 14 as the next date of hearing in Ayodhya case as some of the documents and translations were yet to be filed before the apex court.

The Supreme Court was likely to start 'final hearings' on a bunch of 13 petitions over the 2.7 acres disputed Ayodhya site that is claimed by both Hindus and Muslims.

The petitions before the judges relate to the 2010 verdict of the Allahabad High Court in the title suit that had been pending for nearly six decades.

The dispute before the court was whether the 2.7 acres of disputed land on which the Babri Masjid stood before it was demolished on December 6, 1992, belongs to the Sunni Central Waqf Board or to the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha.

Ram Janambhoomi- Babri Masjid dispute is a century old point of tussle between Hindus and Muslims.

The mosque was demolished by Hindu Karsevaks on December 6, 1992, in Ayodhya. The country witnessed massive riots in which over 2000 people were killed.

The Hindus claim that it is the birthplace of Lord Rama where a mosque was built in 1528-29 CE (935 AH) by Mir Baqi. Since the mosque was built on orders of the Mughal emperor Babur, it was named Babri Masjid.

--ANI