Indian Muslims challenge Babri mosque ruling

MUMBAI: An Indian Muslim group said on Sunday it would file a petition in the Supreme Court asking for a review of a ruling that awarded a disputed site in Uttar Pradesh to Hindus, allowing them to build a temple there.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board, an umbrella body of intellectuals and organisations, said it would seek a review of the judgment, which rejected Muslim claims over the land, the international media reported.

India’s Supreme Court ruled on Nov 9 that a 2.77 acre (1.1 hectare) plot of land should be awarded to Hindus, who believe it is the birthplace of Lord Ram, a physical incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.

“There are apparent errors in the Supreme Courtjudgment, and we felt that it would be prudent to file a review petition,” Syed Qasim Ilyas, a member of the group, told a press briefing.

The main Muslim litigant in the case, the Sunni Wakf Board, has declined to file a review, saying it respected the verdict. The site, where in 1528 Babri Mosque was built by an associate of the Mughal emperor Babur, has been the centre of a bitter dispute between India’s majority Hindus and Muslims, who make up about 14 percent of the population, since Indian independence. In 1992, a Hindu mob razed the mosque to the ground, leading to riots in several parts of India.