AYODHYA: Iqbal Ansari, who for three years was a litigant representing the Muslim side in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit, received an invitation on Friday to the January 22 consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. A VHP team had been waiting for him with the letter on his return home from Jum’ah prayers at a local mosque.
Iqbal had also been invited to the “bhoomipujan” of the shrine on August 5, 2020.
“Friday is an auspicious day for Muslims. I am happy that the idol of Shri Ram is going to be installed (at the temple). We Muslims accept Shri Ram as our ‘Imam-e-Hind’ (spiritual leader of India), and so we rejoice in the happiness of our Hindu brethren,” Iqbal said after hosting the VHP delegation led by senior functionary Ganga Singh.
On December 30, Iqbal was spotted showering PM Narendra Modi’s motorcade with petals during the latter’s roadshow in Ayodhya.
“Ayodhya is and has been the land of Hindu-Muslim harmony. This will remain intact. Supreme Court delivered a verdict, and Muslims across the country respected it. There was no protest or demonstration anywhere,” he said. Iqbal’s father Hashim Ansari was the original litigant in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid land title suit. After the patriarch’s death at 95, he took over the mantle of litigant in 2016.
Iqbal had also been invited to the “bhoomipujan” of the shrine on August 5, 2020.
“Friday is an auspicious day for Muslims. I am happy that the idol of Shri Ram is going to be installed (at the temple). We Muslims accept Shri Ram as our ‘Imam-e-Hind’ (spiritual leader of India), and so we rejoice in the happiness of our Hindu brethren,” Iqbal said after hosting the VHP delegation led by senior functionary Ganga Singh.
On December 30, Iqbal was spotted showering PM Narendra Modi’s motorcade with petals during the latter’s roadshow in Ayodhya.
“Ayodhya is and has been the land of Hindu-Muslim harmony. This will remain intact. Supreme Court delivered a verdict, and Muslims across the country respected it. There was no protest or demonstration anywhere,” he said. Iqbal’s father Hashim Ansari was the original litigant in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid land title suit. After the patriarch’s death at 95, he took over the mantle of litigant in 2016.