AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to defend the Places of Worship Act of 1991 as, he said, it puts an end to unnecessary religious disputes and protects India’s religious diversity.

The Hyderabad MP has written a letter to the Prime Minister in which he urged him to defend the sanctity of the act arguing that the “Act represents the idea that one cannot endlessly litigate against history. That Modern India cannot be the battleground for resolving mediaeval disputes.”

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Owaisi’s letter to the prime minister came in the wake of the Supreme Court seeking the Centre’s stand following petitions filed in the apex court challenging certain provisions of the act which prohibits the filing of a lawsuit to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on 15 August, 1947.

He wrote: “While Parliament intended the Act as a measure to preserve communal harmony and peace, the Hon’ble Supreme Court considered it to be ‘ an affirmation of the solemn duty which was cast upon the state to preserve and protect the equality of all faiths as an essential constitutional value, a norm, which has the status of being a basic feature of the Constitution.’ I request you not to let the executive take any view which deviates from the true spirit of Constitutionalism as reflected in the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s judgement as well as in the aims and objects of this legislation.”

He also referred to the apex court’s observations in its ruling over the Babri Masjid dispute that the act provided confidence to every religious community that the religious character of their places of worship will not be altered.

He also reminded the prime minister of Constitutional morality which safeguards minorities from the tyranny of majority, pointing out it is being put to test.

“I hope that the executive headed by you will act to uphold the ideal of Constitutional morality and defend the Act of 1991,” Owaisi wrote.

Later on in the day, Owaisi took a dig at the prime minister when the latter said: “Earlier, we used to release pigeons, now we release cheetahs.”

The Hyderabad MP said “and rapists” mocking the Centre and Gujarat government’s decision to release the rapists in the Bilkis Bano case.