Deferment will prolong Ayodhya issue: Owaisi

HYDERABAD - Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi Thursday apprehended that further deferment of the Ayodhya verdict’s pronouncement by the Allahabad High Court would unnecessarily prolong the issue.

Ruling out any compromise on the matter, Owaisi said the people of the country have the right to know the truth.

“Where is the question of compromise when both the parties have already ruled out the same,” asked Owaisi, reacting to the Supreme Court deferring the Ayodhya verdict till Sep 28.

The Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) chief told IANS that the deferment was unnecessary as it served no purpose and would, in fact, prolong the issue. “Our fear is that if Justice Dharam Veer Sharma (of the high court) retires before the verdict is pronounced, the issue will again get prolonged,” Owaisi said.

Justice Sharma, one of the three judges of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court that is to give its ruling on the Ayodhya verdict, is retiring on Oct 1. Legal experts say that if the verdict is not pronounced before his retirement, the hearing would have to take place all over again.

“This issue is going on for 50 to 60 years. The people of this country have a right to know what is the truth,” Owaisi, a barrister, contended.

He felt that the Supreme Court deferring the verdict was unnecessary, especially when the Muslim Personal Law Board and others have already stated that the verdict would be acceptable to them.

Asked if Muslims would approach a larger bench of the Supreme Court against the deferment, Owaisi said it was for the Muslim Personal Law Board to take a decision. “But I think since there are only four days for the next hearing we should wait and see,” the MP added.