‘Review Petition Will Harm, Not Help, Muslims’

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