Ayodhya: Just days ahead of the foundation stone laying ceremony, which will kickstart the construction of Ram temple in Ayodya, the local residents and Iqbal Ansari, one of the main litigants in the Babri Masjid dispute, have expressed displeasure to construct a mosque at the five-acre alternative plot given by the Supreme Court.
According to reports, the land allotted by the state government is currently used for the cultivation of paddy crops and the local residents remain reluctant to support the construction of a mosque as they want a school or hospital instead.
The allotment plot is situated at Dhannipur village in Ayodhya's Sohawal area, about 20 km from the district headquarters on the Ayodhya-Lucknow highway.
Iqbal Ansari and local residents want hospital, school in land allotted to Waqf Board The Sunni Central Waqf Board had sent its acceptance letter to the District Administration of Ayodhya. However, the earmarking of land is yet to be done. As a result, questions are being raised as to how the Waqf Board is going to utilise this land.
Besides, there are around 20 old mosques in and around the land which has been allocated to the Waqf Board. There is an Idgah (Reserved space for Eid prayers) in the premises of the farm in the five-acre land.
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Iqbal Ansari, one of the main litigants in the Babri Masjid dispute, speaking to ETV Bharat said that the need is for a hospital, and a school and not a mosque.
"There will be education, employment and health facilities for the local residents. In the times of COVID-19, the need is to have a hospital. There are a lot of masjids nearby and every Muslim wants school and a hospital," Ansari said.
He further alleged that board chairman Zufar Farooqui remains reluctant to talk to local residents regarding the use of this five-acre land.
Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board had earlier said it will build a mosque as well as an Indo-Islamic research centre, a hospital and a library on the five-acre plot.
With days to go for "Bhoomi pujan" ceremony of the Ram temple, the mosques adjacent to the Ram Janmabhoomi premises are spreading the message of communal harmony.
After a protracted legal tussle, the Supreme Court had on November 9 last year paved the way for the construction of a Ram Temple by a Trust at the disputed site in Ayodhya and directed the Centre to allot an alternative 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a new mosque at a "prominent" place in the holy town in Uttar Pradesh.
