Around 100 Muslims from across India, including an Islamic scholar, social activists, lawyers, journalists, businessmen, poets, actors, film makers, theatre personalities, musician, students, farmers and home makers have opposed the decision of several of the Muslim litigants in the Ayodhya dispute to challenge the recent unanimous decision of a constitution bench of the Supreme Court in favour of a Ram Temple at the disputed plot.
“We share the unhappiness of the Indian Muslim community, constitutional experts and secular organisations over the fact that the highest court in the land has placed faith above law in arriving at its decision. But while agreeing that the court order is judicially flawed, we strongly believe that keeping the Ayodhya dispute alive will harm, and not help, Indian Muslims”, says the statement.
Full text of the statement:
“We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned over the decision of several of the Muslim litigants in the Ayodhya dispute to challenge the recent unanimous decision of a constitution bench of the Supreme Court in favour of a Ram Temple at the disputed plot.
“We share the unhappiness of the Indian Muslim community, constitutional experts and secular organisations over the fact that the highest court in the land has placed faith above law in arriving at its decision. But while agreeing that the court order is judicially flawed, we strongly believe that keeping the Ayodhya dispute alive will harm, and not help, Indian Muslims.
“We urge fellow Muslims to ponder over what has been gained and what has been lost in the course of the over three-decades-old Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute. Has it not meant loss of previous Muslim lives and countless property on one side and the meteoric political ascendency of the sangh parivar on the other? Have we not learnt through bitter experience that in any communal conflict, it is the poor Muslim who pays the price?
“Many have been advising Muslims to ‘move on’. Our appeal to fellow Muslims is to ‘move away’ from the mandir-masjid dispute since it only helps to mask the real agenda of the sangh parivar: the replacement of our secular-democratic republic with a Hindu Rashtra.
“We believe that continuation of the dispute in the court will add fuel to anti-Muslim propaganda and Islamophobia, aid further communal polarisation. On the other hand, in choosing not to pursue the matter further, Muslims stand to gain the goodwill and empathy of the non-communal millions from the majority community. This will be in the best interests of the community and the country.”
Signatories
1. Aariz Mohammed, Social activist, Hyderabad
2. A. J. Jawad, Advocate, Chennai
3. Abdul Kader Mukadam, Author, columnist (Marathi), Mumbai
4. Afaque Azad, Musician, Social Activist, Mumbai
5. Aftab Khan, Journalist, Nasik
6. Afzal Patel, Hotelier, Social Activist, Mumbai
7. Akbar Shaikh, Farmer, Activist, Solapur
8. Anjum Rajabali, Film writer, Mumbai
9. Arif Kapadia, Activist, Businessman, Mumbai
10. Arshad Alam, Academic, Columnist, Delhi
11. Gulam A Vahanvaty, Rotarian, Businessman, Mumbai
12. Hafiz Ali, Teacher (Urdu), Jalgaon
13. Hamida Latif, Social activist, Mumbai
14. Hasan Kamaal, Poet, Senior Journalist, columnist (Urdu), Mumbai
15. Irfan Engineer, Social activist, Mumbai
16. Javed Anand, Journalist, Human Rights Activist, Mumbai
17. Javed Siddiqi, Film writer, Mumbai
18. Kaniza Garari, Journalist, Hyderabad
19. Kasim Sait, Businessman, Social Activist, Chennai
20. Khalil Deshmukh, Social Activist, Jalgaon
21. Mohammed Imran, Lucknow
22. Mohib Ahmad, Social activist, Bhopal
23. Muniza Khan, Human rights activist, Varanasi
24. Naseeruddin Shah, Actor, Mumbai
25. Nasreen Contractor, Social Activist, Mumbai
26. Nisar Ahmed Khan, Senior Journalist (Urdu), Aurangabad
27. Nuruddin Naik, Businessman, Mumbra, Thane
28. Saleem Khanba, Advocate, Bhiwandi
29. Sana Deshmukh, Advocate, Mira Road, Thane
30. Shabana Azmi, actor, ex-MP
31. Shahbaz Khan, Community leader, Mumbai
32. Shakil Sayed, Social Activist, Mumbra, Thane
33. Shama Zaidi, Film-maker, Mumbai
34. Shamima Martin, Retired Secretary, UK
35. Taizoon Khorakiwala, Businessman, Mumbai
36. Zeenat Shaukatali, Islamic scholar, Mumbai
37. Zuleikha Jabeen, Social Activist, Delhi
38. Mubarak Badshah Shaikh, Retired govt. Servant, Akluj, Solapur
39. Babu Badshah Shaikh, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur
40. Raju Dastagir Shaikh, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur
41. Rafik Dastagir Shaikh, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur
42. Samir Yasin Shaikh, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur
43. Faruk Bagwan, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur
44. Sardar Nabi Shaikh, Farmer, Ambe, Pandharpur taluka, Solapur
45. Pappu Sardar Shaikh, Farmer, Ambe, Pandharpur taluka, Solapur
46. Karishma Rafik Shaikh, Home-maker, Ambe, Pandharpur taluka, Solapur
47. Rashida Hiralal Sheikh, Home-maker, Ambe, Pandharpur taluka, Solapur
48. Rehana Mubarak Shaikh, Home-maker, Akluj taluka, Solapur
49. Shakira Amir Shaikh, Home-maker, Daund, Pune
50. Banu Babu Shaikh, Home-maker, Pandharpur, Solapur
51. Saif Ali Babu Shaikh, Businessman, Pandharpur, Solapur
52. Asif Hamju Mulani, Businessmen, Sangola, Solapur.
53. Rijwana Hamju Mulani, Businessmen, Sangola, Solapur.
54. Tehsin Riyaj Mulani, Home-maker, Pune
55. Mehajabeen Hamid Mulani, Home-maker, Pune
56. Najama Shabbir Mulani Home-maker, Akluj, Solapur
57. Fariyal Mansoor Mulani, Home-maker, Akluj, Solapur
58. Wahiduddin Shaikh, Advocate, Latur.
59. Sattar Badshah Attar, Social activist, Satara
60. Abdulkarim Inamdar, Social activist, Satara
61. Amjad Mubarak Shaikh, Government servant, Akluj, Solapur
62. Shamshad Amjad Shaikh, Teacher, Akluj, Solapur
63. Hamid Yusuf Mulani, Teacher, Akluj, Solapur
64. Hamaju Kaka Mulani, Teacher, Sangola, Solapur
65. Amir Mubarak Shaikh, Gram Sevak, Daund Pune
66. Rajiyasultana Rajjak Mujawar, Government servant, Pandharpur, Solapur
67. Rajjak Lalu Mujawar Teacher, Pandharpur, Solapur
68. Mohasin Rajjak Mujawar, Businessmen, Pandharpur, Solapur
69. Amin Hamid Shaikh, Political activist, Pandharpur, Solapur
70. Firoj Hiralal Shaikh, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur
71. Rafik Hiralal Shaikh, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur
72. Hiralal Nabi Shaikh, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur
73. Fatehali Hamid Mulani, Farmer, Pune
74. Haidarali Hamid Mulani, Engineering student, Pune
75. Abedali Haidar Mulani, Engineering student, Pune
76. Mansoor Shabbir Mulani, Engineering student, Pune
77. Hamid Kader Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
78. Mahmud Karim Mujawar, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
79. Rajmahamad Abdul Inamdar, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
80. Farukh Kader Mulani, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
81. Sikander Gani Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
82. Irshad Rafik Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
83. Salim Ibulal Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
84. Aslam Rajak Maneri, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
85. Shokat Abdul Khatib, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
86. Akram Aslam Mulani, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
87. Farukh Vakil Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
88. Imran Husain Inamdar, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
89. Akbar Badshah Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
90. Rashid Ilahi Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
91. Sarfaraz Dastagir Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
