Ayodhya dispute: Muslim leaders welcome Sri Ravishankar’s mediation proposal; Sangh Parivar opposes

By Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net

A day after spiritual leader Ravishankar proposed to mediate the Ram Janmbhoomi – Babri Masjid dispute between different parties, strong voices of dissent have already surfaced from the Sangh Parivar leaders.


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It seems that Ravishankar’s initiative is not getting a warm welcome from Hindu parties – especially those leaning towards Vishva Hindu Parishad or BJP.

Last week, the Art of Living Foundation announced that Ravishankar is in talks with several Imams and Mahant Ram Das of Nirmohi Akhara, former BJP MP Ram Vilas Vedanti rejected Ravishankar’s initiative to step in the matter.

Vedanti told media on Sunday, “Since Ravishankar has not been associated with the Ram Mandir movement, we cannot accept his mediation.”

“We went to jail, faced house arrest and have been fighting cases in the courts. He never even had a darshan of Ram Lalla. How does he qualify?” said Vedanti.

Vedanti made it clear that Ram Janmbhoomi Nyas and Vishva Hindu Parishad led the movement, so it is up to them to whom they should allow the mediation.

However, Vendanti’s announcement was used as an example by the Muslim organisations to show the stubbornness of the Sangh Parivar. Zafaryab Jilani from All India Muslim Personal Law Board expressed the fear Ravishankar – or any other mediating party – will have to face a hard time before VHP.

“We are open to talks with anybody who wants to mediate in the matter. Ravishankar is a man of repute so he must have thought to come up with a kind and balanced solution in the matter. But he must go first to VHP people,” said Jilani. “They are the one who had been running from any sort of mediation.”

Jilani also said, “Ravishankar is a wise man. He should not issue press statements before doing anything. The issue must be dealt unaffected by any kind of influence.”

“But if he wants Muslims to surrender towards VHP agenda, that is not going to happen and I must assure that mediation will fail in that case,” added Jilani.

Even Sunni Wakf Board, which is one of the parties in the case, believes that Ravishankar’s stance of mediation is important and must be welcomed. But Board showed the same fear as that of the AIMPLB that people involved in the movement will not agree to the mediation process.

Sunni Wakf Board’s chairman Zufaar Farooqui said, “If Ravishankar wants to come at some amicable solution, that is welcome. But we must know that the talks with those involved in Ram Mandir movement are the most crucial thing here.”

As the Allahabad High Court distributed the disputed land between Sunni Wakf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla in 2010, the matter went to the Supreme Court where the hearing will take place in coming weeks.

But mediation must be done – as a Lucknow based social activist Shakeel Rizvi put – first with those involved with Ram Mandir movement. RIzvi said, “Talks with parties won’t do much to the case. One should consider talking with every possible organisation involved in the matter,”

Farooqui said, “Contesting parties have been refraining from any sort of talks, and that is where anyone should put much focus. I have been approached by his Art of Living foundation. I welcome them to the talk, but it is to see if they succeed in getting the other parties ready.”

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