Ayodhya case: VHP not willing to solve issue, says petitioner Haji Mehboob

Lucknow: With the Supreme Court set to pass an order on March 5 on whether the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case should be sent for mediation, Haji Mehboob, a petitioner, has accused Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) of not wanting to settle the issue and keep it on for its own benefits.

“The main petitioner of the Hindu side, Nirmohi Akhada, wants to solve the issue but Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) wants to keep this issue on forever for its own benefits,” he told ANI in Lucknow.

Mehboob said, "Talks have been started. The Supreme Court has earlier been of the view that the issue should be resolved through dialogue.”

The apex court had said on February 26 that it will pass an order on March 5 on whether the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case should be sent for mediation. A five-judge constitution bench said, “It’s not a dispute over private property. It has become so contentious. We're seriously giving a chance for mediation."

According to Gautam Vij, a representative of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, “The apex court had said that the matter should be solved through dialogue. We have sent the letters to the Muslim law board and Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madni.” 

Syed Rafat, president of Intellectual Forum, said, “I am sure that we will succeed. We have sent letters and the parties have told us that they will look into it. I have started a new intellectual forum of Muslims. Nirmohi Akhada is ready to solve the issue.”

Hearing the matter, Justice SA Bobde said, “Even if there is only 1% chance, it should be explored."

“We are seriously considering it. That's something you can explore. We can suggest it has to be confidential. We can appoint mediators. It has to be confidential and no third party comments on mediation,” the court said.

"We are considering a possibility of healing relationship," it observed.

Earlier, the central government, in a petition to the apex court, sought direction for releasing to Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas 67 acres, which it had acquired about two-and-half decades back, leaving untouched 0.313 acres of disputed land.

In 2010, the Allahabad High Court had divided the disputed land in Ayodhya into three parts for each of the parties — the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.