In what is being seen as a breakthrough in the ongoing efforts to end theimpasse in Ayodhya, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board has agreed toconsider a VHP proposal for constructing the Ram temple outside the area wherethe Babri Masjid stood before its demolition, till the court gives a finalverdict on the disputed site.
The proposal was made by Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi during ameeting he had with an 11-member Board delegation led by its General SecretarySyed Nizamuddin, Board Convener S Q R Illyas told PTI.
He said the Board would be calling an emergency meeting within a week -- onMarch 10 -- to consider the proposal and "will inform the Seer of ouropinion on it before March 15."
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"Under the proposal, the VHP has agreed to construct a boundary walloutside the Masjid area. The fate of the disputed site would be decided by acourt verdict and the VHP has agreed to abide by it," Illyas said.
Former President R Venkatraman, former Governor Romesh Bhandari, Samata Partyleader Shambhu Shrivastwa and former Chief Justice Rangnath Mishra were alsopresent during the meeting.
"The Shankaracharya wanted a mutually acceptable solution," he saidadding they agreed to issue a joint appeal to restore peace and normalcy inGujarat and elsewhere.
The Board had earlier threatened to move the Supreme Court, if necessary, torestrain the VHP from going ahead with its programme to shift the carved stonesto the undisputed site on March 15 and demanded reconstruction of the BabriMosque.
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Asked about Jama Masjid Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari's contention that theBoard had no locus standi to discuss the dispute, Illyas said "we have beena party to the dispute since its inception". The Board's Committee on BabriMasjid is the umbrella organisation of all Babri-related organisations.
No Compromise
Despite the face-saver offered by the Kanchi seer today, VHP maintained itstough posturing:
"We have an open mind on any other issue except the threeconditions," VHP senior Vice President Acharya Giriraj Kishore toldreporters.Kishore also urged the Allahabad High Court, hearing the case relatedto the disputed site, to decide the issue on the basis of "documentaryevidence and not not just witnesses".
- lifting of restrictions enforced in the temple town
- allowing it to shift the carved stones to the undisputed site and
- permitting temple construction by June two.
