After spiritual leaders and Ulemas, retired IAS officer Anis Ansari has taken the plunge for an out-of-court settlement of the vexed Ayodhya dispute. Amsari is also the former vice chancellor of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti Arabic and Persian university.
Earlier spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shanker of Art of living foundation had met both Hindu and Muslim religious leaders to solve the Ayodhya issue.
Maulana Salman Nadvi of the All India Muslim Personal law Board had also made efforts before being expelled from the Board. He has now announced to disassociate from the reconciliation efforts.
Retired bureaucrat and vice-president-cum-treasurer of Indian National Congress-led All India Professional Congress Anis Ansari has come out with a nine point formula for settling the dispute. He has also shared his nine-point formula with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Ansari said in lucknow on Saturday that the proposal was scheduled to be tabled during a meeting of prominent leaders of the two communities in lucknow on March 28.
“The meeting could be delayed as Maulana Salman Nadvi, who was present during all my meetings with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, has withdrawn himself,’’ said Ansari.
A big conference being participated by 1,000 people was scheduled to be held in lucknow on March 28 and was to be attended by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and members from both communities. The aim of the conference is to build a consensus for an out-of- court settlement.
As per the formula suggested by Ansari, Muslims could hand over the disputed land to Hindus for Ram temple only when the majority community admitted that the land belongs to Babri Masjid.
Besides, he also suggested that a fatwa should be issued and reaction from Muslims be called whether the land should be given to the Hindus for Ram temple.
The formula suggested that getting a fatwa from any of the top five Islamic centres of scholarship which include four in India and one in Cairo’s Al Azhar University.
“This fatwa will help create positive opinion among Muslims that giving the Babri Masjd land is not against religion,” said Ansari while suggesting that in India, such fatwa could be issued by Ala Hazrat of Bareilly - the seat of Barelvi sect of Sunni Muslims.
Ansari had joined the discussion on the out-of-court settlement of Babri Mosque- Ram Janambhoomi issue held by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on February 8 in Bengaluru.
Maulana Salman Nadvi, Athar Husain, Maulana Wasif Hasan of Tile Wali Mosque, Zufar Farooqui chairman Sunni Central Waqf Board and others were among the participants.
In his suggestions, the former IAS officer said it was desirable to find out an out-of-court settlement of the dispute to strengthen goodwill between the communities.
Ansari’s proposal also said that those responsible for demolition of Babri mosque be brought to justice and the trial be expedited.