'PM must ty to settle Ayodhya issue out of court'

With the Allahabad High Court likely to deliver its verdict on the title suit of Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Mosque next month, a prominent Muslim group has appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to explore efforts to find out an out of court settlement.

"...Make another effort by yourself and through any representative of the central government to bring together L K Advani (senior BJP leader) and other national leaders to find out an out of court settlement of the matter even before the court verdict is spelt," All India Babri Masjid Action Committee (AIBMAC) chairman Javed Habeeb said. In a letter to the prime minister, Habeeb said efforts should be made for out of court settlement in the light of the observations made by the Supreme Court into the matter in 1994, which said it was a matter suited essentially to resolution by negotiations.

The Supreme Court had also observed that it is in the interest of the nation that there is no loser at the end of the process adopted for resolution of the dispute so that the final outcome does not leave behind any rancour in anyone.

Issuing an appeal, Habeeb said, "May Allah give courage and wisdom to politicians of the Indian nation and Hindu-Muslim leadership to listen and act on these suggestions both in letter and spirit to have a mosque rebuilt and a Ram Mandir built at Ayodhya in the best interest of both Hindus and Muslims." He also demanded that the victims and sufferers be suitably compensated and real guilty be punished. Habeeb also offered his "willing support and service" for this "humanitarian and national cause" saying it has international ramifications.

He said former prime ministers V P Singh, Chandrashekhar and Narsimha Rao had made extremely serious efforts to settle this issue of which he was a part as a member of the National Integration Council and the spokesman of AIBMAC. Referring to the prime minister's apology to Sikhs for Operation Blue Star, Habeeb said he expected him to "show same moral courage in providing a healing touch to the Indian Muslims".

He also urged the prime minister to direct and help all state governments, especially Uttar Pradesh to maintain law and order and prevent violence after the Ayodhya verdict is announced and take firm measures against the people and "organisations, which are threatening to build a Ram Mandir by force in the case the court verdict goes against them..."