The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh made it clear that a negotiated settlement of the Ayodhya issue was possible only when Muslims groups "accept the spirit" of the Allahabad High Court verdict and not challenge the title suit judgement in the Supreme Court.
This assertion comes a day after a section of Muslim and Hindu groups including All India Muslim Personal Law Board and RSS met in New Delhi in an effort to seek ways for negotiations to settle the vexed issue.
"A negotiated settlement to the Ayodhya dispute is possible only when they accept the spirit of the verdict--that Hindus believe the site to the birth place of Lord Ram--and if they do not go to the Supreme Court to challenge the Allahabad court's judgement", RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav said in New Delhi on Thursday.
Asked if meetings held by various groups in different cities over the issue was a way to achieve a solution, Madhav said, "We (RSS) are not engaged in any talks or dialogue but at different levels, people are discussing the issues." He said the 'sant uchadhikar samiti' (empowered body of Hindu leaders) is the only body that can take the decision as to whether to take a legal recourse or go for an out of court settlement.
After Wednesday's meeting, Jamiat-Ulma-e-Hind leader Mahmood Madni minced no words in saying that "Muslims would not part with their claim to any part of the mosque". Incidentally, on the same day a body comprising Vishwa Hindu Parishad and religious leaders in Ayodhya decided to challenge the Allahabad High Court judgement relating to the three-way division of the disputed land in the Supreme Court.
Madhav said the RSS' stand was that "If the Muslim groups abide by the spirit of the Allahabad court verdict and agree that a mosque can be erected at another site, then we can talk over this." The RSS leader added that the matter would be discussed in detail during the upcoming national executive of the organisation to be held in Jalgaon.
In a majority 2-1 verdict, the Lucknow Bench of the Court had on September 30 ruled the entire disputed land should be divided into three equal parts among the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and the parties representing 'Ram Lalla Virajman'.
