‘Even if 500 Temples Are Built…’ Jamiat Chief After SC Junks Pleas Seeking Review of Ayodhya Verdict

New Delhi: Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madani on Thursday said though the Muslim body is disappointed with the Supreme Court's decision to dismiss all petitions seeking a review of its Ayodhya land dispute case verdict, it will respect it.

The apex court took up the review pleas for consideration in-chamber earlier in the day but rejected them after finding no merit. Chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind's (JUEH) Uttar Pradesh unit Maulana Syed Ashhad Rashidi had also filed a review petition in the court.

A five-judge bench, headed by the then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, had in a unanimous verdict on November 9 decreed the entire 2.77 acres of the disputed land in favour of deity 'Ram Lalla'. It had also directed the Centre to allot a five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque in Ayodhya.

"We had said this earlier as well that whatever be the Supreme Court's decision, we will respect it. But we are disappointed because the court ruled in favour of 'Ram Lalla' despite accepting that the Babri mosque was not built where the temple stood," Madani told PTI.

"This is why we say that the verdict is beyond our understanding. The court dismissed the review petitions, it's alright," he said.

"We believe that the Babri mosque stood at the plot allotted for the construction of the temple, still stands, and will always be there, even if 500 temples are built there," he added.

Asked about filing a curative petition, Madani said it will be discussed in a meeting of the JUEH's working committee. He ruled out holding protests against the Supreme Court's decision.

"We do not take to the streets over any issue. If we had to protest, we would have done it earlier only. But our ancestors chose to fight legally for the Babri mosque," he said.

JUEH's Uttar Pradesh unit chief Rashidi had sought review of the Supreme Court's verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case on 14 grounds. He had said 'complete justice' would be done only after the court orders reconstruction of the Babri mosque.

He had also sought an interim stay on the court's directive to the Centre to set up a trust within three months to oversee the construction of the Ram temple.