WASHINGTON (IslamOnline) - Leaders of the Indian Muslim community rejected on Friday any talks on the Babri masjid issue in Ayodhya with Hindu leaders who want to build a Ram temple on the site.
Zafaryab Jilani, convener of All India Babri Masjid Action Committee (AIBMAC), said that his organization had decided as far back as 1993 that it would not negotiate with the Hindutva conglomerate, which includes the ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP).
Jilani insisted that the issue would be resolved only through the courts.
The Bajrang Dal group’s chief, Vinay Katiar, earlier announced that he will hold talks with Hasgim Ansari, the original litigant in the Babri Masjid case on January 13th to find a solution.
Jilani, while questioning Ansari's credentials, said that he has no support of either AIBMAC or local Ayodhya Muslims.
The AIBMAC will hold a meeting today in Lucknow to formulate strategy in view of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad group’s decision to announce a date for the start of construction of the temple at the disputed site.
Other Muslim leaders and organizations have also similarly rejected talks with extremist Hindus.
Babri masjid Movement Coordination Committee President Syed Shahabussin said, “The Babri masjid question is a national question and cannot be treated as a local issue to be sorted out by talks with the same non-entities.''
“Such a dishonestly tactical propaganda would be self-defeating and create insurmountable hurdles in the path of reconciliation,'' he continued.
Influential Shia scholar Maulana Kalbe Sadiq said, “We are for an amicable settlement of the issue, whether it is through court, bilateral talks or by the verdict of any independent panel of historians.''
