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Muslim Personal Law Board rejects symbolic puja proposal

The efforts to resolve the Ayodhya Ram temple dispute on Sunday received a major setback when the All India Muslim Personal Law Board rejected Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswati's compromise formula.

The seer had proposed that the Ram Janambhoomi Trust be allowed to construct the temple on the undisputed land in lieu of the their agreeing to abide by the court verdict on the disputed site.

The AIMPLB, in turn, urged the government to take effective steps to prevent any symbolic karseva or puja on the acquired land in Ayodhya and ensure the enforcement of the Supreme Court's order on maintaining status quo at the site.

Board convener S Q R Illyas told newspersons that it would move the Supreme Court in a day or two to restrain the VHP from carrying out its proposed 'bhoomi puja' plan at the undisputed site in Ayodhya on March 15.

Addressing a crowded press conference following a marathon executive committee meeting, AIMPLB officials, including Yusuf Hateem Muchala and Syed Nizamuddin, told reporters in Delhi that they appreciated the efforts of the Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati to maintain peace and communal harmony.

"We wish to reiterate that the settlement of the (Ayodhya) dispute is not possible in a piecemeal manner. It has to be resolved in such a way that the construction of the mosque is also not delayed," Muchala said quoting from the resolution adopted by the AIMPLB following the meeting.

The AIMPLB expressed its inability to accept the proposals contained in the Kanchi seer's letter as they were 'incomplete', he said.

The board had requested the shankaracharya to provide a copy of the building construction plan, a copy of the site plan in colour, copy of the undertaking given by the Ram Janambhoomi Trust to the prime minister and any other document concerning settlement of the issue, he added.

Muchala also pointed out that the Kanchi seer's proposals 'do not contain any assurance to Muslims that if they win the title suit, the construction plan of the proposed temple will be suitably amended to shift the sanctum sanctorum elsewhere and that there will be no obstruction in the way of the proposed mosque on the site'.

"The proposal seeks commencement of construction of the Ram temple with immediate effect while Muslims are merely asked to await the final verdict of the judiciary," he pointed out.

He emphasized that 'the (Babri) masjid must be reconstructed at the original site'.

Asked whether the board would agree to an out-of-court settlement, he said, "We are open to all suggestions from constructive quarters, except from members of the sangh parivar."

Even as he emphasized that the board wanted a written assurance from all the constituents of the sangh parivar that they would abide by the court verdict on the dispute, Muchala said the AIMPLB was not willing to enter into a dialogue with them.

He said that Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had not met any board member to discuss the Ayodhya issue.

PTI adds:
Reacting to the AIMPLB's decision, Kanchi seer Jayendra Saraswathi said he had done whatever he could to solve the Ayodhya dispute.

"It is now up to the parties concerned to do their utmost," he said.

He said that releasing the letter he had sent to the AIMPLB was now no longer 'necessary'.

The Ayodhya Issue: Complete Coverage

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