M A I N   N E W S

Talks will be held: Katiyar

NEW DELHI, Jan 8 (UNI) — Despite being cold-shouldered by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal on his proposed Ayodhya talks, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Vinay Katiyar today insisted that the January 13 talks would be held in Lucknow as scheduled even as he claimed some more breakthrough in his personal contacts with Muslim leaders on the issue.

Talking to reporters, the BJP MP from Faizabad said he had elicited “positive response” from Fatehpuri Masjid Shahi Imam Mufti M. Mukarram Ahmed on his proposal to resolve the protracted Ayodhya issue through negotiations.

Mr Katiyar said the Imam had assured him that he would talk with other Muslim leaders, scholars and ulemas so that some meaningful talks could be held to resolve the dispute between the two communities over the sensitive issue.

Asked whether the Mufti was ready to attend the talks next week, he said the Imam could participate in the talks at a later stage after consulting the other leaders of the Muslim community.

Meanwhile, the BJP today reiterated that none of its MPs had been authorised to talk to Muslim leaders on the Ayodhya issue.

Mr Katiyar had earlier announced that VHP vice-president Acharya Giriraj Kishore and All-India Babri Masjid Action Committee member Mohammed Hashim Ansari would have the first round of negotiations in Lucknow on January 13. Mr Ansari is the main petitioner in the title suite over the disputed site in Ayodhya.

Asked as to who was now left to participate in the January 13 meeting after Acharya Kishore’s denial, Mr Katiyar said it would be inadvisable to disclose the names at this stage.

He said to begin with, discussions could be held over the title suite in the Ayodhya case with Mr Ansari as he was the main petitioner.

The BJP MP said he was in touch with several other Muslim leaders and was hopeful that his initiative would finally gain support of the community leadership.

He said his being able to elicit a positive response from the Fatehpuri Masjid Shahi Imam was a significant development as the Imam, who has the power to issue fatwas, was an influential leader of the Muslim community.

AYODHYA (PTI): Mr Hashim Ansari, the main appellant in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri mosque case, said on Monday that he would not participate in the proposed talks with Mr Katiyar on January 13.

Mr Ansari said that in view of the statement of VHP supremo Ashok Singhal in Lucknow on Sunday that there was no need for court order for the construction of temple in Ayodhya, and the ‘Dharam Sansad’ would announce the date for temple construction, holding talks with Mr Katiyar was of “no use”.

BMAC convenes meeting for Feb 1

NEW DELHI, Jan 8 (UNI) — In an apparent move to seize initiative over Ayodhya after the virtual failure of BJP MP Vinay Katiyar’s offer for talks with Muslim leaders, the Babri Masjid Action Committee (International) (BMAC) has convened a “conference of members of all communities” in the Capital on February 1 to find out ways and means of a negotiated settlement of the vexed issue.

The BMAC (international) convener Jawed Habeeb said in a statement here today that as the leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and All- India Babri Masjid Action Committee had declined Mr Katiyar’s offer, there was a need to involve other sincere and respected leaders of the two communities to hold discussions and arrive at an amicable solution of the issue.