SRINGERI(KARNATAKA): In what appears to be a major setback for the niling Congress-I’s Ayodhya strategy as delineated by Prime Minister P.V.Narasimha Rao, a meeting of four Shankaracharyas, the top religious heads of the South declared on Sunday that the Ram temple should come up as the same spot where the makeshift temple has been erected.

The sarnijis also opposed the construction of the mosque at the disputed site, a promise made by Prime Minister P.V.Narasimha soon after the demolition of the structure on December 6,1992.

This declaration was made in a joint statement after the historic summit of the heads of the three Sankara mutts and the head of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam here at the Sringeri mutt (about 300 km from Bangalore), The meeting, convened by Bharati Theertha Swamiji of Sringeri, was attended by Swami Swaroopanda of Dwaraka, Swami Nischalananda of Puri and Jayendra Saraswati of Kanchi, and lasted for more than 100 minutes. Bharati Theresa, who read out the joint statement, said the swamijis declared that a body of a political leaders should be constituted to take over the acquired Jand for the construction of the temple. These leaders should command respect of the people throughout the country, the resolution said.

Declaring that all of them will work in unison for maintaining peace and welfare of citizens in the country, the swamijis Said: “The rulers should maintain an attitude of perfect noninterference in religious matters and should safeguard religious autonomy among the citizens.”

They felt that it was possible to evolve an amicable solution and commence planning and construction of the Ram temple in accordance with the Hindu shastras.

“All those who are interested in early construction of the temple including mandaleshwaras, saints, mahants and other religious bodies should ensure that they did not become unwitting tools in the hands of political activities,” the declaration urged.

They said that the temple issue had remained embroiled in litigation for several decades and there have been unseemly incidents at the “holy spot of Ayodhya,” creating tension among people. “We have given this matter deep consideration and find that it is possible to meet the religious sentiments of all followers of ‘Sanathana Dharma’ (eternal righteousness) in tune with the law of the land,”

Article extracted from this publication >>July 2, 1993