Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute: Shia Waqf Board chief pins hope on Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Bengaluru: The Art of Living founder, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, on Tuesday met Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board chief Wasim Rizvi to discuss the issue of out-of-court settlement of the highly-vexed Ram temple dispute in Ayodhya.

Rizvi pinned hope on the spiritual guru for resolving the long-pending dispute.

Divulging details of the meet, the UP Shia Waqf Board chief said, “The whole country respects Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, I am sure the issue will be resolved.”

“Have requested Sri Sri Ravi Shankar that talks should be held only with those who want an agreement,” Rizvi added.

The meeting comes days after the Art of Living Foundation confirmed that its founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was in touch with several imams and swamis, including Acharya Ram Das of Nirmohi Akhara, to help find an out-of-court settlement to the disputed Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site at Ayodhya.

Notably, the Shia Central Waqf Board of Uttar Pradesh had in August told the Supreme Court that a mosque could be built in a Muslim- dominated area at a reasonable distance from the disputed site in Ayodhya.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has denied holding any meeting with the Art of Living founder.

A three-judge bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra, Ashok Bhushan and SA Nazeer has been constituted by former chief justice JS Khehar to hear a batch of petitions challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case from August 11.

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court had in 2010 ruled a three-way division of the disputed 2.77 acres area at the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri masjid site in Ayodhya.

The three-judge bench of the high court, by a 2:1 majority, had said the land be partitioned equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

BJP president Amit Shah has said that a grand Ram temple will be constructed at Ayodhya, and the way for this will be either through talks, mutual settlement or through a court verdict.

Recently, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that Ayodhya will be developed as a hub of tourism, adding that tourism projects worth Rs 135 crore have been initiated in the city by the Union Tourism Ministry.