Mediation post SC hearing nothing but mischief: VHP

Vibha Sharma 

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 18

After Muslim parties, RSS-affiliate Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has rejected reports of purported “settlement” by the Supreme Court-appointed mediation panel to resolve the Ayodhya land dispute, terming it an attempt to create “mischief and confusion” after the hearing of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute had concluded.

The VHP was of considered view that it would be in the interest of the country and all parties concerned to now only await the judgment of the Supreme Court, a key member of the Sangh Parivaar said. “The VHP and other Hindu litigants have sincerely participated in earlier attempts for an amicable settlement, but all remained unsuccessful. Reviving the mediation bogey now is nothing but an effort to create confusion,” said VHP working president Alok Kumar. 

The VHP leader was reacting to reports in the media about a possible settlement bid by the Sunni Waqf Board. “The Hindu side in the dispute has not been approached and, as such, didn’t participate in any mediation effort after the hearing of appeals commenced in the Supreme Court,” he said.

Kumar said the VHP, in an application in July, had requested the SC to declare mediation as concluded and fix a date for final hearing. “This was also subsequently mentioned before the CJI. The SC had declared on August 2, 2019, that the mediation had failed. 

“However, on September 18, on mentioning by the other side, the SC permitted that if any party is desirous of a settlement, it may approach the mediation panel. The Hindu side had specifically conveyed to the mediators that we were not interested in any further mediation,” he said.

Muslim parties, barring the Sunni Waqf Board, today made it clear that they did not accept the Supreme Court-appointed mediation panel’s proposal on purported settlement to resolve the Ayodhya land dispute. 

Attacking the SC-appointed panel for “leaking” the details of its proceedings to the media, the advocates for Muslim parties said: “The leak to the press may have been inspired by either mediation committee directly or those who participated in the said mediation proceedings or participants. Such a leak was in total violation of the SC orders that had directed that such proceedings should remain confidential.”