Mohammad Hashim Ansari (95), the oldest litigant in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri mosque case, died due to heart-related ailments on Wednesday. He took his last breath at his residence in the wee hours.
Here are 5 things to know about Hashim Ansari:
1. Ansari a tailor hailing from Ayodhya, was the only surviving plaintiff in the case and was associated with the case since December 1949 when Lord Ram idols were allegedly put in Babri Masjid.
2. 7 people, including Ansari, became the main plaintiff in the ‘Ayodhya title suit’ filed by the Sunni Central Waqf Board, in the year 1961.
3. Ansari was the first to file the suit in the civil judge court in Faizabad. He reportedly had strong difference of opinion with, Ram Keval Das and Ram Chandra Paramhans of the Digambar Akhada, the other litigants in the case.
4. Ansari was sentenced to two years jail by Faizabad court for in the year 1954. He was accused of ‘call for namaz’ in the Babri Masjid. Later in 1992, Ansari’s house was also attacked in the riots when the mosque was destructed by Kar Sevaks.
5. Reportedly, In 2014, Ansari wanted to bury the dispute and make ‘a fresh start’, had said that he was wanted to talk with Prime Minister Narendra Modi ‘for an out-of-court settlement.’ Later admittedly he had given the power of attorney to his son Iqbal regarding the case.
(with agency inputs)
