Muslim panel says ASI did not dig truth

LUCKNOW: Terming the ASI report as self-contradictory, Babri Masjid Action Committee convenor and All-India Muslim Personal Law Board member Zafaryab Jeelani said it was not based on facts that came out after digging at Ayodhya.
The report suggests the existence of a temple-like massive structure but has not given any details, hence is self-contradictory, Jeelani said.Except the western wall of the mosque, there was no other structure on the 50-metre dimension at the disputed spot. That wall cannot be claimed to that of a 10th century temple, Jeelani added.
‘‘Even the 10th century dating is imaginary as this has never been the case among warring parties that there ever existed a temple in the 10th century,’’ Jeelani said. He also questioned the ASI claim that either a temple of Vikramaditya period or that of 12th century existed beneath the disputed site. ‘‘From where have they got these new findings,’’ he asked.
He said the AIMPLB was seeking detailed comments from its experts which would be made available to the media in a week’s time. For moving the court a month’s time would be required, he said.
Two AIMPLB experts — Dr Supriya Verma, reader in Panjab University, Chandigarh, and Mohd Abid, archaeologist at the Aligarh Muslim University — were present in the court when the ASI report was opened. AIMPLB secretary Maulana Nizamuddin, who was informed about the ASI report in New Delhi, is reaching here on Tuesday to discuss the developments with board president Maulana Rabe Nadwi.