New Delhi: Expressing deep concern at the order of the Allahabad High Court for the
excavation of the disputed site in Ayodhya, a Muslim organisation on March 7 urged
the court to amend the order for appointing a commission of archaeologists of
national eminence to supervise the excavation and to evaluate its findings.
Terming the order as "unprecedented and uncalled for", All India Muslim Majlis-e-
Mushawarat (AIMMM) president Syed Shahabuddin claimed the order was fraught with far
reaching consequences as it set up a very "questionable and dangerous precedent".
He said in a statement that the "unlawfully" established makeshift temple should
also be included in the excavation order.
AIMMM also suggested that the court shall order all the parties concerned in dispute
to file affidavits to undertake withdrawing their claim on the Babri Masjid site, if
the foundations of a Mandir were not found immediately underneath.
Stating that Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is only a department of government
of India, he raised doubts over the credibility of it unless the excavation was
carried out in accordance with internationally recognised methodology outside the
ASI.
Apprehending that instead of shortening the proceedings, the order will complicate
the issue, he said one month's time given by the court was too short for any
scientific excavation and meaningful evaluation.
PTI
