New Delhi: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board today (Dec 6, 2003) said they will abide by a judicial verdict in the Babri Masjid demolition case and stated that it would provide the only solution to the issue.

"We are waiting for the court's verdict and will abide by whatever decision it takes," S Q R Illyas, convenor of AIMPLB, said.

Claiming that the Board had strong evidence to prove its case, Syed Sahabuddin said, "We will surely win as we believe we have strong evidence."

"But whatever actions we take would be peaceful," Sahabuddin added at a symposium organised by the AIMPLB to commemorate the 11th anniversary of the demolition of Babri Masjid.

"We don't think of it as a fight between two communities," he said, adding it was rather a legal issue for them. "We want all the guilty to be punished, which has not been done so far."

Speaking on behalf of the Communist Party of India (CPI), its general secretary Atul Anjan said his party did not believe in dialogue as "some people do not believe in talks and are trying to stall them".

"Only a court verdict can provide a solution," he said.

Historian Suraj Bhan claimed that most of the evidence reported during the recent excavations does not point to the presence of any temple beneath the demolished structure.

Thus, instead of trying to make a prima-facie case out of the excavations, they should go by a judicial verdict.

The case should be handed over to apex court, and everybody should go by its decision, Anjan said.

PTI