Muslim law board’s distrust of ASI distrust of court: BJP

The BJP today called the All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s (AIMPLB) decision to challenge the ASI’s report on the Ayodhya exca...

The BJP today called the All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s (AIMPLB) decision to challenge the ASI’s report on the Ayodhya excavation, as ‘‘deplorable and unfortunate’’.

Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar said: ‘‘The AIMPLB, instead of challenging the report, should accept the historical truth that there was a temple before the Mughal aggression.’’

Javadekar said: ‘‘The AIMPLB should understand that it was a report not by any vested interest but, a scientific outcome of excavation carried out by experts on a judicial order.’’

He said a representative of the Sunni Waqf Board was always present during the excavation. Every artefact found, has been packed and signed by the board’s representative, he claimed.

The disapproval of such a report shows AIMPLB’s lack of confidence in the judicial process, which also indicates they AIMPLB will accept court verdicts only when they are favourable.

Referring to the contention of Lok Janshakti leader Ram Vilas Paswan that it was only a property dispute, the BJP spokesman said the comment was intended to divert attention from the report.

Javadekar called for a follow-up on the report.