JEDDAH, 4 October 2005 — Syed Shahabuddin, who has been in the forefront of key battles to project Muslim issues, has called for a third option to the resolution of the thorny Babri Masjid issue — the option being negotiation. Apart from this issue that is close to the diplomat-turned politician’s heart, the former member of the Indian Parliament urges empowerment of the Muslims through education and is an ardent advocate for the movement to restore Urdu as a functional language in India.
He is a key member and former convener of the Babri Masjid Coordination Committee and has been closely associated with the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and is its permanent member.
Born in 1935 in Bihar, he mobilized Muslim sentiment during the pivotal Shah Bano case.
Presently, he heads the All-India Majlis-e-Mushawarat, an umbrella organization, which articulates and advises on issues of concern to the Muslim community in India. In an ideological shift marked with irony and with the professed aim to “defeat politics of deception”, Shahabuddin, last year joined the secular Congress party to battle the Hindutva forces.
The veteran Muslim leader, who was in the Kingdom recently on a private visit, spoke to Arab News exclusively on issues concerning Muslims — from Babri Masjid, the fatwa culture and the needless hue and cry over tennis sensation Sania Mirza’s skirt. Excerpts:
Q: After opposing and criticizing the Congress party vigorously for decades why have you joined it?
A: Congress is not only the biggest secular party, but also an instrument through which the lost idea of India (which the founding fathers had envisaged for the new nation) can be restored. I have joined it to defeat the politics of deception, to reconstruct India on the Nehruvian model... and to redirect India’s foreign policy toward nonalignment. Congress is also the only secular party with an all-India presence and the party that has learned from its mistakes. This is the only party that can stop the Hindutva forces. All other parties like Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party are not in a position to provide an alternative to the Bharatiya Janata Party without Congress’ support. The most important point is that on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid issue both Congress and I think alike — all concerned should wait for and abide by the judicial verdict.
Q: How do you see the Ayodhya dispute?
A: The Archaeological Survey of India excavations so far have not shown any indication of a Hindu structure at the site. So now they (the Hindu groups) are saying “We shall re-enact Gujarat all over the country or you give up.” Many times the Shankaracharya, who has said that he was ready to broker a settlement, in his letters has used the phrase “communal amity and peace.” What does he mean? Is it a threat? He also said in his second letter that you (should) be mentally prepared to give up Kashi and Mathura.
Q: What is your position now on Babri Masjid? Are there any suggestions?
A: This is not an easy problem to resolve. But there are three ways through which a resolution could be sought. The first is legislation. But that door is barred for no party has the requisite majority in Parliament. The second is through the courts. The Muslim community is committed to accept a judicial verdict even if it goes against them. Unfortunately, the other side says they do not recognize the authority of the judiciary. They also do not accept the responsibility of the state. They also do not believe in democracy, rule of law or secularism and are hell-bent on doing what they want. The third is negotiation. The problem relates to the disputed site on which the Babri Masjid stood and on which today a temporary temple stands. They say their site plan of the temple must include the Babri Masjid site. We say we have six to seven acres of land in dispute with them around the masjid. We are prepared to give land they need to build another temple for Ram, but they should leave our 3,000 square feet of area alone.
Q: What is the solution?
A: As the member of the Babri Masjid Movement Coordination Committee and president of the All-India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, I can say the ulema have only one rule: The site is not negotiable. Beyond that, they have not said anything. Therefore, a solution acceptable to the Muslim community will be one in which a Ram Mandir be built even next door to the Babri Masjid and the land restored to the Muslim community to establish whatever we want.
Q: What do you personally feel?
A: In 1986, I told Rajiv Gandhi as there was a Ram chabutara (raised platform) just outside the Babri Masjid but within the masjid compound, let the entrance to the new temple be established there. This was to the east of the masjid. From there onward as far as you want to go, you could build a temple. But leave the masjid alone. For privacy and safety, raise a wall between them. That is still a possible solution. The Ram chabutara, which has been there for over 150 years, could be the garbhagraha (sanctum sanctorum) of the proposed temple. If these proposals had been accepted, all this trouble would not have taken place. This solution is still a possibility.
Q: What about an out-of-court settlement? Is this a solution to the problem?
A:I have never opposed an out-of-court settlement. If the parties agree to a settlement then they can go to the court, relay the settlement while also agreeing to adhere to it before seeking an end to the court proceedings. The court may or may not accept the plea. But the out-of-court settlement has to be endorsed by the court. Secondly, an out-of court settlement has to be placed before the court by the parties to the case. Shahabuddin or the Shankaracharya are not party to the case. Even the Muslim Personal Law Board is not party to the case. Similarly, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is not a party to the case. An out-of-court settlement between the RSS and AIMPLB only provides a way to arrive at any consensus that could be presented to the court.
Q: What should be done for the empowerment of Muslims in India?
A: Education is the key to empowerment. Muslims should develop their potentials through better education and participation in political activities. Unless, we are politically empowered we will be oppressed and remain backward. At least 70 Muslims should be in the Indian Parliament as per their population percentage, but at present there are less than 30. This speaks for itself.
Q: Why did Muslim India cease to publish?
A: To put it bluntly, advancing age, diminishing energy, falling circulation and financial crisis combined to force me to call it a day.
Q: Recently we have seen a rise in fatwas by clerics, be it in Imrana’s case or any other issue. How do you look at these fatwas?
A: Frankly, such fatwas, are nothing more than an individual’s opinion in accordance with the school of jurisprudence to which he belongs. The media blows up these individual incidents to malign Islam as it was a fatwa of Shariah and it is representative of the Islamic way. In Imrana’s case, out of the four schools of jurisprudence active in India only one gave its opinion, but the mass media ceased upon it to project a negative view of Islam. Unfortunately, the AIMPLB too endorsed that fatwa initially, it’s denial came three weeks later, when the issue had died down. What needs to be done is that muftis should refrain from issuing fatwas on live and sensitive issues unless approached by the parties concerned and without investigating the circumstances fully. Secondly, a mufti should clearly indicate the school of thought to which he belongs so that the person concerned should be free to follow it or to take other school’s opinion. Thirdly, the AIMPLB should bring together muftis for evolving a consensus view on major issues concerning Muslims.
Q: Sania Mirza brought laurels to the country as well as the Muslim community. But a lot of things have been said about her dress code. She has been threatened for wearing short skirts. Is it justifiable?
A: Every sport has got its own dress code. As far as Sania is concerned she is not engaged in fashion business to show her feminine beauty. She is not showing her sexuality but skill as a tennis player on the court. Then where does the vice lie? It lies in the eyes of the viewer. People should look at her as a tennis player and not as anything else.
Q: Bihar is going to polls again? Ram Vilas Paswan has called for a Muslim chief minister? What is your comment?
A. I would like to remind you one thing — Paswan was allotted eight seats in the parliamentary elections by the United Progressive Alliance, but he had not given a single seat to a Muslim. The oft-repeated suggestion by him to install a Muslim as the state chief minister is nothing more than a political gimmick to secure Muslim votes. No Muslim had won an assembly election on his party ticket. Paswan’s call thus serves only to communalize state politics. The Muslim community should reject this move. Paswan’s ploy is more aimed at serving his long-term political ambition and has nothing to do with Muslims. He had recently said, “If a Muslim becomes chief minister of Bihar then who will stop a Dalit becoming prime minister of India.” Personally, I have appealed to all the political parties to allot 16 percent of their tickets to Muslims in proportion to their percentage in the state.
