MBT Appeals For Peaceful Bandh, Black Day On Dec 6

The Majlis Bachao Tahreek has appealed to the people, especially the Muslims, to observe a "Black Day", and a Telangana and Andhra Pradesh bandh, on December 6, on the 22nd anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, MBT President Dr Khayam Khan expressed anguish over the delay in the hearings of both the Babri Masjid title case and the case against those accused of the demolition of the historic mosque.

Explaining the historical perspective, he said that the facts related to the Babri Masjid were distorted and wrongly used to flare up the communal tension in the country.

He said that it was the Britishers who had created a controversy around the mosque to break the unity among Hindus and Muslims, who were fighting unitedly against the British Raj. However, the RSS took up the issue after independence and flared up communal tensions.

Dr Khayam Khan blamed the then Prime Minsiter P V Narasimha Rao for the demolition of the Masjid. He said that Narasimha Rao did what the RSS had failed to do in several decades. He not only facilitated the demolition of the Masjid, but also created a rift among the Muslim leadership.

He said that the Babri Masjid Action Committee, which formed by breaking away from the Babri Masjid Coordination Committee, was equally responsible for the demolition.

He said that some Muslims leaders danced to the tunes of Narasimha Rao and secretly supported the move of the Sangh Parivar to demolish the mosque.

"Even after 22 years, the wounds of the demolition of the Babri Masjid are still fresh. The secular Indians, especially the Muslims, are expecting final justice from the Supreme Court," Dr Khayam Khan said.

He also expressed regret that more than four years after the Lucknow bench of the High Court delivered its judgment in the Babri Masjid case, the full-fledged hearing on the land ownership case was yet to begin in the Supreme Court.

Dr Khan appealed to Muslims to ensure a peaceful bandh. He said that no one should be forced to close their business establishments or shops, and that the bandh should be entirely voluntary.

He said that the MBT will not stop its movement until the Babri Masjid was rebuilt at the same place where it existed till December 6, 1992.

Addressing the same press conference, Azampura Corporator Amjed Ullah Khan criticised the State Government for improper implementation of welfare schemes.

He said that the TRS Government was not serious in giving 12% reservation to Muslims.

He said that mere announcements were being made only to please the minorities.

He also criticised the government for not releasing the promised funds for minorities' welfare.

He demanded that the government relax the norms for the Shaadi Mubarak scheme as the present rules were not only confusing, but also deprived a large section of the poor Muslims from enjoying the benefits of the scheme.

Amjed Ullah Khan also informed that the MBT would be organising a public meeting on December 3 at the Azam Function Hall in Moghalpura on December 3. (INN)