The Supreme Court stay on the Allahabad High Court’s order in the Babri mosque-Ramjanamabhoomi title suit has resulted in a sudden spurt of activity among Ayodhya peace-brokers.
One camp is led by Mahant Bhaskar Das, head of the Nirmohi Akhara and Haji Mehboob, both parties to suit no 3 and the other is represented by Mahant Gyandas, former head of Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, and the oldest surviving litigant in the original title suit, 91-year-old Hashim Ansari.
With the belief gaining ground that the Supreme Court’s stay could actually mean an indefinite wait once again, both the parties are vying with each other to be the first one to offer a mutually acceptable out-of-court settlement formula. Interestingly, minor differences apart, both the camps are unanimous in yielding ground to Muslims within the 67 acres of acquired land, better known as the Ram Janmabhoomi Complex, a fact which is giving sleepless nights to the saffron camp. Hardliners in Vishwa Hindu Parishad and BJP are against giving any land to Muslims within the 67-acre periphery.
“Unless offered their share within the space of the crucial 67 acres, Muslims will not take any peace initiative seriously,” says Ranjit Lal, the lawyer of Nirmohi Akhara and a close confidant of Mahant Bhaskar Das entrusted with drafting the blueprint. The VHP’s insistence upon driving the Muslims out of the Parikrama Marg can never lead anywhere, he believes. The Akhara, he said, is working in collaboration with the retired chief justice of Allahabad High Court Palok Basu. Justice Basu has initiated the process a year ago by involving the respected gentry of Ayodhya — both among Hindus and Muslims — in dialogue to sort out the imbroglio.
Muslims are led by Haji Mehboob, Lal said. One of the key negotiators on the Hindu side is Mahant Nrityagopal Das, the head of Ramjanambhoomi Nyas who enjoys great credibility among the Hindu segment here. “The exercise basically veers around efforts made by original residents of Ayodhya and not those who have set up their shops post demolition. And after holding parleys with the segment, we are convinced that they want peace and progress and no politicking in Ayodhya. Most of all, they do not want this dispute to linger for another 30 years,” Mahant Bhaskar Das told TOI.
He also admitted that the ball was set rolling months ago, “But, we did not want to make a disclosure fearing unnecessary opposition.” Lal expressed hope that after the akhara presents a draft to the Centre and the state government to be put up before the Supreme Court under section 89 of Civil Procedure Code, which allows negotiation for compromise, the matter would be resolved amicably for all times to come.
–Agencies