The scrutiny by the Home Ministry comes at a time when Muslim organisations are to meet on October 9 to decide on knocking at the doors of the Supreme Court with a plea.
Top sources told Deccan Herald that through the Intelligence Bureau, the Union Home Ministry is understood to have started gathering inputs on the speeches made at some important mosques on the Ayodhya verdict, delivered on September 30 by the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court.
The exercise is to help the home ministry gauge the mood among common Muslims in different parts of the country.The government heaved a sigh of relief as the last two days after the court verdict passed off peacefully. While the security net has not been relaxed, a ban on SMS and MMS on the issue, in place since September 23, has been extended till October 4.
Restrained response
Reactions of Muslim organisations have been restrained over the verdict. The legal sub-committee of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has decided to meet on October 9 to decide on the appeal to be submitted in the apex court.
A final decision is likely to be taken when the AIMPLB working committee meets on October 16.
The AIMPLB spokesperson S Q R Illyas said the 51-member working committee will discuss on the future steps to be taken, at the October 9 meeting. The Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind leaders, who have asked maulvis not to fuel untoward incidents with their speeches, would also meet next week.
“It is not proper to comment anything in haste”, imam Umer Ilyasi, president of All India Imams’ Association, said, refusing to comment on the verdict.Shahi imam of Delhi Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, had on Friday expressed dissatisfaction over the Ayodhya verdict and said decision on such a crucial issue could not be taken in a “closed room”.
Fast-track manner
Echoing similar views, US-based Indian Muslim Council called upon the SC to have a full-bench examine the case in a fast-track manner and deliver its verdict.
“We are unhappy with the court verdict. We do not accept the decision made in a closed room,” Bukhari said, adding the verdict turned out to be a “settlement” and “partition” suit rather than a title suit.
Referring to the HC judgement, Rasheed Ahmad, president of the Indian Muslim Council, said, “We had expected objectivity and not political consideration from the courts. By passing a judgment based on religious beliefs rather than on facts, the High Court has set a disturbing precedent.”
“It is troubling that the High Court has chosen to ignore the archeological and scientific evidence and ruled based on emotions and beliefs of the parties in the dispute. I hope that the SC will be able do the correction in the interest of justice and not give in to political considerations,” he said.
Carbon dating conducted during previous investigations had revealed that the artifacts reportedly discovered during excavations were of very recent origin, hence disproving the existence of a Hindu temple at the Babri Masjid site.