Lucknow, Aug 6 (PTI) The Trust constituted by the Uttar Pradesh State Sunni Central Waqf Board to construct a mosque on five acres of land in Ayodhya is in the process of setting up an office in the state capital, an official said on Thursday.
He said the office of the Trust -- Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF) -- will be functional in 10 to 12 days.
"Our Trust has been formed. As per rules, we have applied for a PAN card in its name and awaiting its delivery, after which we will be meeting online and pass a resolution for opening a bank account of the Trust," IICF Secretary Athar Hussain told PTI.
"We had met last month online. As of now, we have identified office space and renovation work is going on there. It will take 10-12 days for the work to complete. After which our office will be functional," he said.
The state government has allotted five acres of land in Ayodhya's Dhannipur village for the construction of the mosque on the directive of the Supreme Court. The IICF will oversee the construction of a mosque, Indo-Islamic research centre, library and hospital in the land.
A member of the Trust said, "Ayodhya District Magistrate Anuj Kumar Jha has formally handed over the possession of the land for the mosque to the Trust members. We have got a certified copy of the revenue record."
The Supreme Court had in November last year paved the way for the construction of a Ram Temple by a Trust at the disputed site in Ayodhya, and directed the Centre to allot an alternative 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a new mosque at a "prominent" place in the holy town in Uttar Pradesh.
The residents of Dhannipur, where the land has been allotted, are eagerly waiting for the Trust to start construction of a mosque.
Mohammad Izhar, a resident of Dhannipur village, said, "It's good that the land was allotted here. We are happy and hope that the work will start soon. Finally, our village will develop. We hope so."
Another resident, Mohammad Imran also expressed similar views saying it is good that besides a "mosque we will also get a hospital".
The Trust will have 15 members, of which names of nine have been declared and rest will be finalised soon. "We will co-opt the remaining six trustees. The secretary of the Trust will also be its official spokesperson," a member of the Trust said.
Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday laid the foundation of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. The programme was organised by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust.
