On Tuesday, senior Congress leader and lawyer Kapil Sibal created a controversy after it was revealed that he was the one representing the Sunni Wakf Board in the Ram Mandir – Babri Masjid matter.
During the trial in the Supreme Court, Sibal strangely asked the court to defer the trial until 2019 or as many inferred, until the next Lok Sabha elections. This gave out the impression that Sibal and possibly his client the Sunni Wakf board had no intention to resolve the matter and intentionally wanted to delay the issue.
This was soon picked up by PM Modi:
No objection that Kapil Sibal is fighting on behalf of Muslim community but how can he say do not find a solution to this (Ayodhya issue) until next election? How is it connected to Lok Sabha elections?: PM Modi in Gujarat’s Dhandhuka #GujaratElection2017 pic.twitter.com/oFzXCyEWRW
— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2017
With Sibal being a senior congress leader, various citizens questioned as to whether the Congress party endorsed these developments. The party as a result decided to maintain that Sibal was representing the Sunni Wakf board in a personal capacity.
Now the Sunni Wakf Board has decided to throw both the Congress and Sibal under the bus by coming out to assert that they too want a speedy resolution to this issue and that Sibal’s statement yesterday was wrong:
Yes Kapil Sibal is our lawyer but he is also related to a political party, his statement in SC yesterday was wrong, we want a solution to the issue at the earliest: Haji Mehboob,Sunni Waqf Board #Ayodhyapic.twitter.com/CMN8MXr5ta
— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2017
Some might say that the Sunni Wakf board by pointing out Sibal’s political connection, seem to have tried to signal that he was furthering the Congress’ agenda by wanting to delay the trial. This angle was soon advocated by BJP leader Sambit Patra:
Haji Mehboob of Sunni Waqf Board has said that Kapil Sibal’s statement yesterday in Supreme Court was his personal view and that he was speaking as a politician: Sambit Patra, BJP #Ayodhyapic.twitter.com/DT5SvKOGvv
— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2017
People too didn’t hold back from reacting to this news:
This is getting interesting!
After Congress threw Kapil Sibal under the bus saying that he is representing Sunni Wakf Board on Babri Masjid in his personal capacity, Sunni Wakf Board gets back with saying, we never asked for postponement of court proceedings, Congress did ??
— Sonam Mahajan (@AsYouNotWish) December 6, 2017
Janeudhari Hindu in Gujarat – Topidhari Mussalman in Delhi politics of deceit exposed. Now live with it Pandit Rahulji Gandhi. https://t.co/nUu44jJeby
— Kanchan Gupta (@KanchanGupta) December 6, 2017
Sunni Waqf board says they never told Kapil Sibal to demand deferment of ram Mandir case till 2019, did Rahul Gandhi ask Kapil Sibal to try and deny Rightful rights to Hindus in form of Ram Mandir?
— अंकित जैन (@indiantweeter) December 6, 2017
Kapil uncle just decided to hijack the Babri dispute in the SC https://t.co/FrUJIdnwFt
— Mohan Sinha (@Mohansinha) December 6, 2017
Those associated with the BJP too raised questions:
Now that Sunni Waqf Board has said that they don’t agree with what Kapil Sibal said in court, it is certain that Mr. Sibal spoke in his capacity as a Congress leader, with the blessings of their High Command. Shameful posturing by Congress on Ram Temple issue!
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 6, 2017
Absolutely clear that Congress party, through Kapil Sibal, is trying to politicize the issue. #RahulBackstabsHindushttps://t.co/v3umLdZoMO
— Amit Malviya (@malviyamit) December 6, 2017
This whole episode does raise a few questions.
If the Sunni Wakf board had never asked Sibal to try and delay the trial, then on whose command was he taking such a stance? Also would the Sunni Wakf board now sever its association with Sibal considering he is clearly jeopardising their interest in the courtroom? Would this new development hurt the image of ‘janeu dhaari Brahmin’, that the Congress party is desperately trying to create? And if it does, what would the repercussions be on the upcoming Gujarat elections?
