The Hindu : Kanchi Acharya sent word for secret talks, says Shahi Imam

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 15, 2003

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Kanchi Acharya sent word for secret talks, says Shahi Imam

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JUNE 14 . The Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, today claimed that the Kanchi Sankarcharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswati, had approached him through a "Muslim middleman" and offered to hold secret talks on the Ayodhya issue.

The Imam said the Kanchi seer had sent some suggestions through the "middleman" for the construction of a temple at the site of the demolished Babri Masjid, which he said he had rejected and insisted that the negotiations should be transparent.

In a statement here, the Shahi Imam said the question at present was not about the construction of temple or mosque but pertained to the ownership of the land, which was for the court to decide.

He criticised the "secret" meeting of the president of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadvi, with the Kanchi Acharya on the Ayodhya issue recently. He said the Board would not be allowed to "bargain".

He rejected negotiations with the Kanchi Sankaracharya, who he said was "totally partial, who speaks the language of the opponent". He said Indian Muslims still were of the view that the solution to the issue was possible only through the judiciary.

UNI reports:

The AIMPLB senior vice-president, Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, said that he was not rigid on the issue of the Babri Masjid, but would not accept any "forcible solution to the problem".

Mr. Sadiq told presspersons at Allahabad today that technically there were some solutions, which if achieved legally, religiously or historically, would be welcomed. However, no solution was acceptable if forcibly made.

Welcoming the recent statement of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, that politicians should keep themselves away from the dispute, he said the problem should be resolved "either by court, religious leaders or historically". "We have full faith in the High Court and welcome the excavations being conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India at the disputed site."

On the formula of the Kanchi Sankaracharya, Mr. Sadiq said he had no information about it nor had he signed any document.

"The Sankaracharya is a Hindu religious leader and we have no doubts about his sincerity. He is a non-political person and any decision by him would be in the interest of the people and country''.

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