Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy, the man who has staked claim to the Babri Masjid

He likes to introduce himself as a great-great-grandson of Bahadur Shah Zafar

This past Wednesday, “Prince” Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy, a self-proclaimed descendant of Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, told reporters in Lucknow that he had asked the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board to appoint him as mutawalli (caretaker) of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

This is not the first time Tucy has staked claim to a historical site. In 2005, he had asserted “ownership” over the Taj Mahal as the last living descendant of the Mughals. This time, however, his demands are somewhat different. 

Tucy wants to be made caretaker of the Babri Masjid so that he can ensure an amicable out-of-court