NEW DELHI(PTI):The second round of talks on the Ayodhya dispute ended here on Oct.16 with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) insisting on resolution of the issue within the three-month time limit set by the religious leaders and the all India Babri Masjid Action Committee (AIBMAC) presenting a fresh questionnaire to update its claim on the disputed structure.
However both sides in 2 unanimously-adopted resolutions agreed to meet again leaving to the government to decide the date for the third round of talks on the vexed issue.
An official spokesman said representatives of both the organizations also agreed that the evidences and rejoinders to the evidence already placed by both sides would have to be submitted to the government in writing by October 23.
The government on its part would make available copies of these rejoinders and evidences to both parties by October 24. It was also agreed no fresh evidence would be entertained from either side by the government after October 23. They also agreed to submit their comments and views on each other’s evidences and rejoinders by October 29.
The date for the third round of talks would be announced by the government after October 29 the spokesman said.
Besides VHP and AIBMAC leaders the meeting was attended by the minister of state for parliamentary affairs P.R.Kumaramangalam the Rajasthan chief minister Bhairon Sing Shekhawat and the former minister of state for home Subodh Kant Sahay. Officials of the archaeological survey of India also attended the meeting for the first time
Kumaramangalam who chaired the meeting said the major achievement of Fridays talks was that both sides agreed to fix a deadline for submitting evidence and rejoinders
The process of resolving the temple-mosque dispute “is taking a clear shape and direction” he said
Commenting on the talks the VHP general secretary Ashok Singh said the discussions on the Archaeological evidences and history “cannot go on and on and the government has to take some clear-cut decision to resolve the issue within a specific timeframe.”
The AIBMAC leader Javed Habib said he had a “momentary satisfaction” regarding the talks adding the negotiations were “gradually proceeding towards a logical end.”
The status of historians and archaeologists participating in the talks also came up for discussion at the meeting.
Kumaramangalam said all academicians were independent persons but those participating in the talks were “nominated by both sides.” The AIBMAC had “adopted” the report placed by four “independent” historians namely Prof.R.S.Sharma Prof.Suraj Bhan Prof.M.Athar Ali and Dr.D.N Jha in support of their claim and handed over the same to the VHP Sahay said.
The VHP submitted a letter containing summaries of archaeological and historical documents and new archaeological discoveries and documents about demolition of a Jain temple by Prince Aurangzeb in Ahmedabad Gujarat.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 30, 1992
