The Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF), set up by the Sunni Waqf Board six months ago to build a mosque at the government donated land in Ayodhya district, has informed that the foundation of the mosque on the 5-acre site would be laid on India’s Republic Day. The blueprint of the mosque complex would be unveiled on Saturday, December 19.
“The Trust chose January 26, 2021, for laying the foundation stone of the Ayodhya mosque as on this day our constitution came into effect over seven decades ago. Our Constitution is based on pluralism, which is the leitmotif of our mosque project,” said Athar Hussain, secretary of the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF).
According to reports, the plan for the project has been finalised by its chief architect, Professor SM Akhtar and the blueprint of the mosque complex, which will include a multi-speciality hospital, a community kitchen and a library, will be unveiled by the IICF on December 19.
“The mosque will have a capacity to hold 2,000 namazis at a time, and the structure will be round-shaped,” Akhtar was quoted by PTI as saying.
Sunni Waqf Board accepts alternate 5-acre land to build Mosque in Ayodhya
The Supreme Court had on November 9 last year paved the way for the construction of a Ram Temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi site by awarding the title suit in the favour of Ramlalla Virajmaan. The Sunni Waqf Board has been laying claim to the site for decades, unwilling to let Hindus build a temple on a place where Lord Ram is believed to have been born. The court had also ordered the UP government to grant an alternate site of 5 acres to the Sunni Waqf Board to build a mosque.
After months of prolonged drama whether to accept or reject the Supreme Court’s offer of a 5-acre land to build a mosque at an alternative site, the Sunni Waqf Board had finally decided to accept the allotment of 5 acres of land suggested by the top court in the Ram Janmabhoomi and had also decided to build a Mosque on it.
Earlier, the Board had shown reluctance in accepting the court offer after suggestions poured in from several quarters asking it to reject the offer made by the apex court.