Mediation failed as panel members had little influence on two

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad's (VHP) international president Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje said here on Friday that the mediation panel failed to resolve the Ayodhya dispute as its members did not have much influence over both Hindus and Muslims.

Welcoming the Supreme Court's decision to hold hearings in the case on daily basis from August 6, Kokje, a former high court judge, said he was hopeful that the apex court would deliver "historical justice".

"I am not surprised that the mediation committee failed. Earlier too such attempts had failed," Kokje told PTI.

"The panel did not have any representative who enjoyed wide influence over Hindu and Muslim communities. Therefore it did not seem likely that they would find a solution," he said.

"On the negotiating table, only someone who has influence over a community can convince it to make a sacrifice," the VHP leader said.

"Now we can expect that before the retirement of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on November 17, the Supreme Court will give its judgement. We are expecting that we will get a historic judgement from the Supreme Court," he said.

Saying that the Ram Mandir issue was linked to "historical injustice", Kokje said the VHP always favoured construction of a grand Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya "under the constitutional framework".

The Supreme Court said on Friday that it will hold day-to-day hearing from August 6 to decide the politically sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute as the efforts to arrive at an amicable settlement through mediation had failed.

The three-member mediation panel was headed by former apex court judge FM Kalifulla and included spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu.