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VHP, BMAC harden stands

All hopes for a negotiated settlement came to a halt, with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Babri Masjid Action Committee adopting stiff postures on the Ayodhya issue.

VHP supremo Ashok Singhal, who was here on a brief visit, declared, "Temple construction will get started in Ayodhya shortly after a decision is taken on the date by the country's sant samaj, during the Kumbh Mela."

On the other hand, BMAC convenor Zafaryab Jilani issued a stern warning, "We will physically oppose any attempt towards starting construction of the temple at the site of the Babri Masjid."

The VHP and BMAC have ruled out an amicable out-of-court settlement.

Singhal told mediapersons, "I made three attempts to initiate talks for resolving the issue, but each time Muslim representatives walked away from the meeting; so it was amply clear that they were not interested in any negotiated settlement."

On the dispute pending before the court, the VHP chief argued, "Being an invader, Babur was a trespasser and thereby not entitled to legal rights."

The BMAC , which met to take stock of the situation in the light of the VHP's call for undertaking construction of the temple, however, felt the issue could be solved only through the judicial process. "We are ready to abide by the court's verdict," Jilani said, adding , "it is now for the VHP and its allies, including the Bharatiya Janata Party to show that they too will respect the court verdict."

Reacting sharply to the VHP's announcement about plans to start temple construction, Jilani warned, "We will now use physical force to restrain anyone from going ahead with construction of the temple." His even more firebrand colleague Mohammad Azam Khan went on to add, "We will now have to withdraw our appeal for maintaining peace."

Khan , who was also a Samajwadi Party member of the Rajya Sabha, wondered "why such elements were not dealt with under the provisions of law, when they were displaying blatant defiance of the Constitution and judiciary."

The committee expressed "deep anguish and resentment over Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's statement terming construction of the Ram temple as an expression of national sentiment." It also sought Vajpayee's resignation.

The committee further appealed to "appeal to all secular forces to resist any attempt to start temple construction at the acquired site of Babri Masjid." It went on to warn, "This was bound to lead to a serious confrontation between Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-minded Hindus and Muslims, which may prove disastrous for the country", adding that "the consequences of such a confrontation may be more dangerous than the fallout of the post-Babri demolition period."

The committee resolution said, "The entire responsibility for such a calamity will rest on recent regimes in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre - and the allies of the BJP will also have to pay the price."

The committee felt that the build-up on the temple issue was being done by the Sangh Parivar solely with the eye on the assembly elections in UP, where the BJP had failed on all fronts.

The BMAC also urged secular parties to pass a resolution in Parliament and the state assembly, to appeal to all resolve cases relating to the Ayodhya dispute within a year."

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