M A I N   N E W S

RSS rejects Advani’s proposal
Says no to ‘out-of-court settlement’ on Ayodhya dispute
Faraz Ahmad/TNS

New Delhi, August 29
The RSS has categorically rejected the “out-of-court settlement” being suggested by BJP parliamentary party chairman LK Advani and a section of Muslims for the 61-year-old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute.

Hoping to encash once more on the dispute, some Muslim activists like Jawed Habeeb, former convener of the All-India Babri Masjid Action Committee (AIBMC), were now active again, said former Rajya Sabha member Waseem Ahmad while reacting to a letter by Habeeb to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking for involving Advani in an out-of-court settlement.

Waseem said: “If there is anyone who has been faithfully following the whole thing even now, it is only Zafaryab Jilani who has been fighting these cases in various courts as well as the title suit in the Allahabad High Court.”

Waseem’s contention was borne out by RSS spokesman Ram Madhav who mentioned Jilani as a lone member of the Muslim community who is still involved in this dispute in some capacity.

Contrary to the prevalent perception, Ram Madhav said Jilani had already stated “if the verdict goes against us, we will approach the Supreme Court. So far, there is no preparation for any out-of-court settlement”.

Ram Madhav dismissed Habeeb’s initiative saying, “This is the fist time Habeeb has stated something like this. Let us see how much acceptance his idea commands among his community members.”

A day earlier, VHP international president Ashok Sinhgal had demanded that “a peaceful resolution of the dispute is possible only through legislation. Parliament must enact legislation to enable the peaceful handing over to Hindus of the disputed land in and around the demolished Babri Masjid where Ram Lala temple already stands”.

He also stated that he had written letters to all MPs asking them to support his cause. The letter says that MPs must take up the Ram Temple cause, support legislation by Parliament to hand over the site to Hindus and “prevent the insult” that may be heaped on Hindus.