Fresh moves afoot for out of court settlement of Ayodhya issue

Fresh moves appear to be afoot to resolve the Ayodhya dispute out of court, three days after the Allahabad High Court verdict in the case.

Mohammad Hashim Ansari, one of the main litigants in the title suits, today met Mahant Gyan Das of Hanumanghari who is also President of Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad to explore the possibility of an amicable solution.

Though Mahant Gyan Das refused to divulge details, 90-year-old Ansari said: "I have initiated the move after being asked by the Sunni Central Wakf Board."

During an hour-long closed door meeting between Gyan Das and Ansari at Hanumanghari, famous Lord Hanuman temple near the makeshift temple on the disputed site, discussions revolved around ways to chalk out an agreement on the 60-year-old temple-mosque dispute.

"Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad will play the role of a mediator and Gyan Das will talk with Nirmohi Akhara (another key party in the dispute)," Ansari told PTI, adding that the Akhara President was ready for this.

"This issue will be decided in Ayodhya itself and time for an amicable solution has come," he added.

Waqf Board counsel Zafaryab Jilani, however, said he was not aware of any such move. The Board had said they would challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court.

Nirmohi Akahara, Vaishnavite sect among the Hindus, has been given one-third of the disputed site in Ayodhya by the Allahabad High Court in its majority verdict on Thursday.

The other two-thirds portion has been given equally to be shared by the Wakf Board and the side representing Ram Lalla (baby Lord Ram).

The Nirmohi Akhara's share will include that part which is shown by the words 'Ram Chabutra' and 'Sita Rasoi' in the outer periphery of the site.

Soon after the verdict, Ansari had called for burying the dispute and making "a fresh start", a view shared by 84-year-old Mahant Bhaskar Das of Nirmohi Akhara.

Jilani said he had spoken to Board Chairman Zafar Ahmad Farooqui who denied that Ansari had been asked to initiate any talks.

"Farooqui told me that he cannot authorise a person without consulting the Board members," he said.