Result of Ayodhya talks already known: Yogi on Sri Sri's mediation efforts

Amid Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's attempts to mediate on the Ayodhya dispute, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said everyone knows where talks would lead, especially when the Supreme Court is going to hear the matter from December 5 on a day-to-day basis.

"The Supreme Court is going to hear the matter on a day-to-day basis from December 5. Everyone knows where the talks would lead... Had the solution (to the dispute) been possible, it would have been reached earlier," he told reporters.

"Even after this, if someone initiates talks there is no harm. The government is not a party to this. In my first visit to Ayodhya, I had said that if both the parties reach consensus on the issue, the government could consider. The government cannot take an initiative in this regard as the matter is before the Supreme Court," he added.

On his meeting with the Art of Living founder on Wednesday, Adityanath said, "See we did not have any discussion on the matter (Ayodhya dispute). It was a courtsey meeting as he was known to me and had arrived in Lucknow." 

Ravi Shankar had on Wednesday met Adityanath but said he had no proposal yet to discuss with the stakeholders.

His offer for mediating in the dispute has received a tepid and skeptical response from key protagonists on both sides, with the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) voicing reservations about his role.

When his attention was drawn to comments by some Muslim leaders rejecting his proposal to resolve the dispute, Ravi Shankar had said he had no proposal at the moment so any question of rejection does not arise.

"Neither have I given any proposal nor have I got it from anyone," he had said.

Ravi Shankar is apparently exploring ways for a reconciliation between the warring parties locked in the protracted legal dispute over the land on which the Babri mosque stood before being pulled down in 1992.

The VHP and the AIMPLB have, however, rejected the relevance of mediation efforts by Ravi Shankar.

"It is being said that Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is talking to all the stakeholders in the case but he has not yet contacted the top leadership of All India Muslim Personal Law Board which is leading the Muslim side," AIMPLB general secretary Maulana Wali Rehmani said.

He said Ravi Shankar had made a similar move to resolve the dispute some 12 years ago and concluded that the site should be handed over to Hindus.

The VHP too appeared dismissive, saying no dialogue on the issue was needed as courts go by evidence and archaeological evidence was in favour of Hindus.

"There is no relevance of the (recent) clamour for agreement over Ram Janmabhoomi after the archaeological evidences in this regard have been found to be in favour of Hindus... the courts go by evidence," regional spokesman for the VHP Sharad Sharma said in a statement.

A Bench headed by the then Chief Justice J S Khehar had said in March that such religious issues can be resolved through negotiations and offered to mediate to arrive at an amicable settlement.