PTI
AYODHYA, APRIL 11
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he negotiations to find an out-of-court settlement in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi case started here today as litigants of both the communities in Supreme Court met here and hoped that a “negotiation draft” will be soon finalised.
The President of All India Hindu Mahasabha, Swami Chakrapani, who is the main litigant from Hindu side pleading the claim of Ram Janam Bhumi in Supreme Court, described the day as “historic”.
“Today was the historical moment as we have all agreed to solve the dispute peacefully. We have started making a proposal on it to end the dispute of temple and the mosque,” Swami Chakrapani said.He met the Muslim litigants fighting the case for Babri Masjid in the apex court, for negotiated settlement at the premises of famous Hanuman Garhi temple here.
Chakrapani was leading the delegation of Hindu litigants in the case including Mahant Dharam Das, Ramesh Chandra Tripathi and Ranjeet Laal Varma, the counsel of Nirmohi Akhara, a main Party from Hindu side.
From the Muslim side, the oldest litigant of Babri Masjid case Mohammad Hashim Ansari, along with his son and his legal representative in the case Iqbal Ansari and Khaliq Ahmad Khan, also a litigant in the case took part in the talks.
Kahliq Ahmad Khan, a litigant from Babri Masjid side, told PTI: “We support the move of Swami Chakrapani, and we hope the negotiation draft that would be soon finalised and will house both temple and the mosque at the disputed site.”
Quoting Supreme Court’s five judges bench judgement of 24 October 1994 (AIR 1995 SC 605) Khan, said, the judgement of the apex court already has given the arrangement of both mosque and temple at the acquired land.
Iqbal Ansari, representative of main litigant Mohammad Hashim Ansari, said, “It will be the best negotiated settlement plan as it will include both temple and the mosque.”
Chakrapani, pleading the case from Hindu side as appellant No 2336 in Supreme Court, said: “Muslims have never opposed the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, nor they have any enmity with the Hindu community. Only VHP has created rift wider and wider between both the communities only for power. VHP leaders were never interested in construction of Ram temple, they were only after power and money.”
