The Hindu : Ayodhya issue can be settled in two months: Kanchi Acharya

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 14, 2003

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Ayodhya issue can be settled in two months: Kanchi Acharya

By Our Staff Reporter

KANCHEEPURAM JUNE 13. The Ayodhya issue can be settled amicably in one or two months if the talks are held only among three parties — the Kanchi Sankaracharya, the Centre and the Muslim religious leaders — the Sankaracharya of Kanchi Mutt, Sri Jayendra Saraswati, said here today.

Talking to presspersons, the Kanchi Acharya reiterated that there should be no political interference on the sensitive issue and that confusion would prevail if anybody other than the three parties interfered. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, speaks on the Ayodhya issue on behalf of the Centre and not as a BJP leader, he said.

Asked about the statement by Swami Madhavanand Saraswati, founder of the Vishwa Kalyan Parishad, Allahabad, and Sayyed Mohammed Jilani Qattal, president of the World Sufi Council, at a joint press conference in New Delhi on Thursday, questioning his recent statement that a majority of Muslims were ready to give up the claim on the disputed site in Ayodhya, the Kanchi Acharya said that while Swami Saraswati was not an authentic person to speak on the issue, the Sufis did not have a major presence in India.

He said the three Sankaracharyas of Puri, Sringeri and Dwaraka Mutts were silent on the Ayodhya issue and favoured an amicable settlement.

"My main ambition is that the nation should get all prosperity and communal harmony should be maintained. People are being confused on the Ayodhya issue.

``When the issue was about to be settled recently it was held up due to a minor `hurdle' at the last minute. However, I am moving in the right direction and hope to solve the Ayodhya issue as early as possible."

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