Even before the crucial meeting of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Sunday to discuss the Kanchi Shankaracharya's proposal to resolve the Ayodhya imbroglio, a senior member of the board on Saturday rejected the formula and favoured waiting for a court ruling.
"As is well known, Muslims cannot give up their claim over land belonging to a mosque or Waqf board, and negotiations for this matter would not yield any result. The formula presented by the seer for resolving the longstanding dispute would only expose him," Member of Parliament and president of the All India Union Muslim League G M Banatwala told reporters in Lucknow.
Terming the formula of the seer to resolve the issue as 'merely an election stunt', Banatwala said it was aimed at consolidating Hindu votes.
"A court verdict is the only option to resolve the dispute and like a civilised country, we should wait for it."
Banatwala said the board members met in Lucknow on Saturday morning to informally discuss Ayodhya-related, like court proceedings and the proceedings of the Liberhan Commission.
He appealed to the Sangh Parivar not to make claims over functional mosques in Kashi and Mathura as it would spoil communal harmony.
Banatwala said it was unfortunate that those accused of playing a role in pulling down the Babri mosque in 1992 were occupying high posts and demanded that they either resign or be sacked.
He also proposed a joint front of non-Bharatiya Janata Party parties, including his own, in order to 'save' the secular character of the country.
Banatwala said any law to regulate madrassas would prove detrimental in the long run and lashed out at the Congress government in Karnataka for introducing such a law.
"The government seems to be working under the influence of the Sangh Parivar," he said.
Banatwala reiterated his demand for a CBI inquiry into all cases relating to the Gujarat violence.
Referring to the acquittals in the Best Bakery case, he said a proper and unbiased inquiry was the need of the hour.
PTI
