New Delhi: Around 100 Muslims from across India, including scholars, activists, lawyers, journalists, businessmen, poets, actors, filmmakers and theatre personalities 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. The court decided to order the land to the Hindu litigants, while offering an alternative plot of five acres to the Muslim litigants.The signatories said that while they share the unhappiness of Indian Muslims that the apex court placed faith above law in arriving at the decision, they “strongly believe that keeping the Ayodhya dispute alive will harm, and not help, Indian Muslims”.The statement says:“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?”The mandir-masjid dispute only helps mask the real agenda of the Sangh parivar, which is to replace the secular-democratic republic with a Hindu rashtra, the signatories said.Also Read: Ayodhya Verdict: India’s Muslims Sought Dignity, Not Land“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,” the statement concludes.The full statement has been reproduced below.§“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.”Signatories1. Aariz Mohammed, Social activist, Hyderabad2. A. J. Jawad, Advocate, Chennai3. Abdul Kader Mukadam, Author, columnist (Marathi), Mumbai4. Afaque Azad, Musician, Social Activist, Mumbai5. Aftab Khan, Journalist, Nasik6. Afzal Patel, Hotelier, Social Activist, Mumbai7. Akbar Shaikh, Farmer, Activist, Solapur8. Anjum Rajabali, Film writer, Mumbai9. Arif Kapadia, Activist, Businessman, Mumbai10. Arshad Alam, Academic, Columnist, Delhi11. Gulam A Vahanvaty, Rotarian, Businessman, Mumbai12. Hafiz Ali, Teacher (Urdu), Jalgaon13. Hamida Latif, Social activist, Mumbai14. Hasan Kamaal, Poet, Senior Journalist, columnist (Urdu), Mumbai15. Irfan Engineer, Social activist, Mumbai16. Javed Anand, Journalist, Human Rights Activist, Mumbai17. Javed Siddiqi, Film writer, Mumbai18. Kaniza Garari, Journalist, Hyderabad19. Kasim Sait, Businessman, Social Activist, Chennai20. Khalil Deshmukh, Social Activist, Jalgaon21. Mohammed Imran, Lucknow22. Mohib Ahmad, Social activist, Bhopal23. Muniza Khan, Human rights activist, Varanasi24. Naseeruddin Shah, Actor, Mumbai25. Nasreen Contractor, Social Activist, Mumbai26. Nisar Ahmed Khan, Senior Journalist (Urdu), Aurangabad27. Nuruddin Naik, Businessman, Mumbra, Thane28. Saleem Khanba, Advocate, Bhiwandi29. Sana Deshmukh, Advocate, Mira Road, Thane30. Shabana Azmi, actor, ex-MP31. Shahbaz Khan, Community leader, Mumbai32. Shakil Sayed, Social Activist, Mumbra, Thane33. Shama Zaidi, Film-maker, Mumbai34. Shamima Martin, Retired Secretary, UK35. Taizoon Khorakiwala, Businessman, Mumbai36. Zeenat Shaukatali, Islamic scholar, Mumbai37. Zuleikha Jabeen, Social Activist, Delhi38. Mubarak Badshah Shaikh, Retired govt. Servant, Akluj, Solapur39. Babu Badshah Shaikh, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur40. Raju Dastagir Shaikh, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur41. Rafik Dastagir Shaikh, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur42. Samir Yasin Shaikh, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur43. Faruk Bagwan, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur44. Sardar Nabi Shaikh, Farmer, Ambe, Pandharpur taluka, Solapur45. Pappu Sardar Shaikh, Farmer, Ambe, Pandharpur taluka, Solapur46. Karishma Rafik Shaikh, Home-maker, Ambe, Pandharpur taluka, Solapur47. Rashida Hiralal Sheikh, Home-maker, Ambe, Pandharpur taluka, Solapur48. Rehana Mubarak Shaikh, Home-maker, Akluj taluka, Solapur49. Shakira Amir Shaikh, Home-maker, Daund, Pune50. Banu Babu Shaikh, Home-maker, Pandharpur, Solapur51. Saif Ali Babu Shaikh, Businessman, Pandharpur, Solapur52. Asif Hamju Mulani, Businessmen, Sangola, Solapur.53. Rijwana Hamju Mulani, Businessmen, Sangola, Solapur.54. Tehsin Riyaj Mulani, Home-maker, Pune55. Mehajabeen Hamid Mulani, Home-maker, Pune56. Najama Shabbir Mulani Home-maker, Akluj, Solapur57. Fariyal Mansoor Mulani, Home-maker, Akluj, Solapur58. Wahiduddin Shaikh, Advocate, Latur.59. Sattar Badshah Attar, Social activist, Satara60. Abdulkarim Inamdar, Social activist, Satara61. Amjad Mubarak Shaikh, Government servant, Akluj, Solapur62. Shamshad Amjad Shaikh, Teacher, Akluj, Solapur63. Hamid Yusuf Mulani, Teacher, Akluj, Solapur64. Hamaju Kaka Mulani, Teacher, Sangola, Solapur65. Amir Mubarak Shaikh, Gram Sevak, Daund Pune66. Rajiyasultana Rajjak Mujawar, Government servant, Pandharpur, Solapur67. Rajjak Lalu Mujawar Teacher, Pandharpur, Solapur68. Mohasin Rajjak Mujawar, Businessmen, Pandharpur, Solapur69. Amin Hamid Shaikh, Political activist, Pandharpur, Solapur70. Firoj Hiralal Shaikh, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur71. Rafik Hiralal Shaikh, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur72. Hiralal Nabi Shaikh, Farmer, Pandharpur, Solapur73. Fatehali Hamid Mulani, Farmer, Pune74. Haidarali Hamid Mulani, Engineering student, Pune75. Abedali Haidar Mulani, Engineering student, Pune76. Mansoor Shabbir Mulani, Engineering student, Pune77. Hamid Kader Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur78. Mahmud Karim Mujawar, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur79. Rajmahamad Abdul Inamdar, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur80. Farukh Kader Mulani, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur81. Sikander Gani Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur82. Irshad Rafik Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur83. Salim Ibulal Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur84. Aslam Rajak Maneri, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur85. Shokat Abdul Khatib, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur86. Akram Aslam Mulani, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur87. Farukh Vakil Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur88. Imran Husain Inamdar, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur89. Akbar Badshah Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur90. Rashid Ilahi Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur91. Sarfaraz Dastagir Bagwan, Social Activist, Sangola, Solapur
