Ayodhya case: Shia Waqf Board stakes claim on land, offers to give up its share to Hindu parties

New Delhi: MC Dhingra, the advocate appearing for Uttar Pradesh's Shia Central Waqf Board on Friday staked its claim over the one-third share given to Muslim parties by the Allahabad High Court, and told the Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that it was willing to give up its share of land to the Hindu parties, on the 16th day of  hearing of the Ayodhya land dispute case.

Presenting his case, advocate Dhingra said that Shia Waqf Board had no objections to the arguments made by the Hindu Mahasabha in the court. He added that the mosque was constructed by Mir Baqi,  who was the commander of Mughal Emperor Babur's Army, and the mosque was built at  Ayodhya which came to be known as Babri Masjid. In Shia board's records, Babri Masjid is listed as Masjid Mir Baqi. The board contends that till 1944, Babri Masjid was a Shia waqf.

It further contended that it was only after the wrong enlistment of the mosque as Sunni Waqf that Sunni Central Waqf Board started claiming it as Sunni waqf in 1946, otherwise, there was no dispute earlier that the mosque was a Shia waqf.

Earlier on Friday, PN Mishra, the advocate of the Ram Mandir Revitalisation Committee had wrapped up his arguments by stating that the Islamic law did not allow for adverse possession of any property, especially when it comes to the possession of a mosque. He stated that the land must be owned by the stakeholder completely and there should be no contention of property.

Earlier on Thursday, Mishra had said that there was no evidence that the mosque was built in 1528 by Babur and that Babur did not get the mosque constructed nor he was the owner of the disputed land, then the Sunni Waqf Board did not have any claim in the case. 

On Monday, Sunni Waqf Board will present its arguments in the Supreme Court. The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court is hearing the Ram Janmabhumi-Babri Masjid title dispute case on a day-to-day basis, which began from August 6. The Ayodhya case is being heard by the Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SA Bobde, DY Chandrachud, Ashok Bhushan and Abdul Nazeer.