Lucknow: The Sunni Central Waqf Board (SCWB), one of the main plaintiffs in the Ram Janambhoomi- Babri Masjid title suit, and Muslim parties have accused the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) team engaged in carrying out excavation work at the acquired land in Ayodhya of "fabricating" archaeological evidence there.

In an application submitted to the two observers monitoring the excavation work, H S Dubey and M A Siddique, the Board and the Muslim parties disputed the Archaeological Survey of India's progress report submitted to the special bench of the Allahabad High Court hearing the matter, Board's counsel Zafaryab Jilani told reporters in Lucknow on June 10.

While the ASI had in its progress report mentioned about the existence of structural bases, which they said were very old, the Muslim parties claimed that these belonged to a much later period, Jilani said.

The Muslim parties moved the application after its own team of archaeologists carefully went through the excavation work being carried out by the ASI, he said.

The Board has also objected to what it alleged was selective collection of artifacts being found at the site, Jilani said. Artifacts such as moulded bricks, sculpted stone fragments and terracotta figurines were being collected while Islamic glazed pottery, glazed tiles and animal bones were being throw away, he alleged.

Jilani said the Board's own team of archaeologists comprising Sheerin Ratnagar, Suraj Bhan, D Mondal and Sita Ram Rai were in Ayodhya on June 10 to examine archaeological evidence.

He said the Board and the parties would approach the court if their application was not considered by the two observers.

PTI