'Battle not just for mandir but 67 acres of Ram's birthplace'

It is negotiation time again for the highly sensitive Ram JanmabhoomiBabri Masjid issue as the Supreme Court yesterday referred the land dispute case for mediation The Vishwa Hindu Parishad VHP leading the fight for a Ram Mandir at the site along with other Hindu organisations is however not too happy with yet another round of talks Mumbais VHP spokesperson and general secretary Sriraj Nair outlines the VHP standThe Supreme Court panel headed by retired SC judge Justice F M I Kalifulla with senior advocate Sriram Panchu and Art of Livings Sri Sri Ravishankar has an eightweek deadline to complete proceedings in the mediation hearing over the Ram Janmabhoomi issueDespite some opinions that say this is the way to an amicable solution for the flashpoint site the VHP begs to differ Sriraj Nair explains howSriraj NairOn the Supreme Courts order of a mediation panelhellipThe order is just out and the VHPs lawyers are studying it post which we will decide what course of action to takeWhy is the VHP against talks on the MandirMasjid disputeWhen the Allahabad High Courts 2010 verdict was announced where it was ruled that Ayodhya land be divided into three parts with 13 going to the Ram Lalla or Infant Rama represented by the Hindu Maha Sabha for the construction of the Ram temple 13 going to the Islamic Sunni Waqf Board and the remaining 13 going to a Hindu religious denomination Nirmohi Akhara was announced all parties concerned rushed to the Supreme Court It has been nine years and there is no solution Justice delayed is justice denied This seems to be playing for time In the past too negotiations have failed and bilateral talks have failed This has been simmering since 1528 500 years look at history There have been at least 70 battles fought for Ram JanmabhoomiWhy VHP does not want the Masjid next to the MandirhellipThe Babri Masjid was built by Babar it is the symbol of an invader The battle is not just for a mandir it is for 67 acres of land Ramjanmabhoomi the birthplace of Lord Ram Other countries in the world have demolished symbols and statues of invadersIs the VHP going against the Supreme Court orderhellipNo We are a lawabiding organisation and we are nobody to dismiss the apex courts orders Past experience has shown that there have been talks during a slew of different prime ministers time and nothing has come of them We used to move towards a conclusion and the Muslim leadership would then turn back Archeologist K K Muhammad has said that there was a temple at the site of where the masjid stood so it has also been scientifically proven The temple must be allowed on the janmasthan and peace will prevailA section of Muslims is afraid that today it is Ayodhya and tomorrow it may be some other mosquehellipThat is rubbish When lakhs of people were moving towards Ayodhya was there any mosque that was touched on the way We are not invaders We believe the world is one familyMumbai is not concerned about the MandirMasjid divide The VHP meet in December 2018 at Bandra Kurla Complex did not draw numbershellipWe did have numbers There were at least one lakh people were there You did not attend so you do not know The subject does resonate with MumbaikarsWill this have any impact on the forthcoming electionshellipNo this has nothing to do with any elections These talks have been going on for years and elections have come and gone Why bring elections into the picture It is time for somebody to pick up this piece of burning coal this is what a resolution to this dispute is all aboutAlso ReadBaba Ramdev says Lord Ram ancestor of both Hindus and MuslimsCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates