The Supreme Court today referred to the Ayodhya land dispute case for mediation by a panel headed by retired Supreme Court Justice F M I Kalifulla to explore the possibility of an amicable settlement. The other two members of the panel are Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior advocate and mediation expert Sriram Panchu.
“We have accepted Ayodhya Mediation honouring the Supreme Court proposal. We have always believed in dialogue and peaceful solution of the matter. However, our participation in the mediation process should not be viewed as a change in our original stance on Babri Masjid” : All India Muslim Personal Law Board
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Several Muslim groups and individuals have raised serious objection over the inclusion of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar as one of the mediators in the Supreme Court-appointed and monitored mediation panel in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case.
Raising his concern over his sri sri, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said: “Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who has been appointed as a mediator, his stated position is in public domain wherein he had threatened the Muslims and said if Muslims don’t give up their claim on Ayodhya, India will become Syria. It would have been better if the Supreme Court had appointed a neutral person.”
“This is regrettable that the Supreme Court has appointed such a mediator who is not a neutral person and his statement is on record. However, we expect him to be neutral,” he added.
Owaisi further said that he does not have any problem with other mediators (retired apex court judge FM Kalifulla and senior advocate Sriram Panchu) as they don’t have any statement on record like Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
When asked about the effect on mediation on upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Owaisi said, “It is a good thing that the mediation process will be kept confidential. Otherwise, politicians will try to take mileage of it. If there is a leak which is against the government (BJP) then they will threaten with Official Secret Act. Everything is possible, BJP will do anything. The court has explicitly said that it will be kept confidential, if anybody violated it they will be charged with contempt of court.”
“If anyone asks votes in the name of temple or masjid, it would also be a violation of model code of conduct,” he added.
On the timing of the mediation process, as the court has asked it to be completed in eight weeks, Owaisi said,
“Mediation is only an interim report. This is not arbitration where both parties put forward their views and the court gives the ruling.”
S Q R Ilyas, co-convener of the Babri Masjid Action Committee and All India Muslim Personal Law Board, who is also one of the parties to the long-pending dispute said: ‘Earlier, Sri Sri told me we (Muslims) must give up our claim to the Babri Masjid site and be large-hearted.’ ‘Sri Sri has always taken sides on this issue, and isn’t neutral at all.’
He took the stance that Muslims must give up their claim to the Babri Masjid. If you take such a stance, how can you be considered to be a neutral person, as you are clearly favouring one party, isn’t it?
Ilyas, however, said that he is ready to meet the Supreme Court panel within the time frame of eight weeks given by the apex court and is hopeful of finding a solution to the issue.
Commenting upon the Supreme Court orders on mediation in Babri Masjid Case, Shahi Imam Maulana Syed Ahmed Bukhari said Muslims respect Supreme Court’s order but doubt that the matter will be resolved through mediation. We feel that the matter can only be resolved through the Court, not through mediation.
On Sri Sri he said: “We do not have any objection on the names of the people who are from the judicial background but as for the name of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is concerned, we have serious reservations as he is a party in this whole issue and his inclination is well known to everyone.” “Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has regularly toed the line of one side in this dispute and we have not agreed to statements he has made in the past. I think it’s not worth making a committee with people who are partial,” said Bukhari.
He further added, “Who is Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, what role does he have in all this? There are many like him on both sides. With him in the committee, we see no hope in this whole activity.”
PFI while welcoming the Supreme Court order on mediation on Ayodhya dispute, it has expressed strong reservations about the inclusion of controversial figure Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in the three member panel.
“Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is known as an open campaigner for constructing Ram Mandir on the site of demolished Babri Masjid. He was repeatedly demanding Muslims to give up their claim of Babri Masjid and accept the Masjid outside Ayodhya”, it said in a statement.
The Supreme Court on Friday, March 8, referred the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case for mediation by a panel headed by retired Supreme Court Justice F M I Kalifulla to explore the possibility of an amicable settlement. The other two members of the panel are Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior advocate and mediation expert Sriram Panchu.