NEW DELHI: Most political parties Wednesday came out strongly against Syed Shahabuddin’s attempt to hobnob with the Proponent of Khalistan. Simranjeet Singh Mann, to seek redressed of the grievances of Muslims.

This type of alliance will not help the minorities, if the minorities really want to fight their problems; they must do it in alliance with the secular elements of the ‘majority community, Harkishan Singh Surjeet told the press here.

The senior communist leader said Mann was playing into the hands of the BJP and such moves would give flip o communal tension. Surjeet said he had suggested to the Janata Dal leader and former Prime Minister, V.P.Singh,1o stop his party MP, Shahabuddin from attending the meeting of Muslim leaders called by Mann. “Singh said he was worried and would make a public statement on the issue soon”.

The Congress general secretary, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said ‘We do not like such get- together. We are totally against this type of alliance”.

VP FLAYS: V.P Singh, said his party al- ways opposed any truck with Mann. He sought to remind the presspersons that the party president, .R.Bhommai, had tamed down the Shiromani Akali Dal offer for electoral alliance during the aborted elections in Punjab this year.” We have a firm stand in this regard’. Singh emphasized.

The JD spokesman, Hari Kishore Singh, pointed out that Shahabuddin has conveyed to the party that he had met Mann in personal capacity as a leader of the Babri Masjid Movement Coordination Committee.

Moreover, Shahabuddin did not go for the meeting called by Mann, but the later had called on the JD member at his residence. “In any case, Shahabuddin has informed us that they did not discuss Khalistan at all”

INSAF PARTY: Among others who condemned Shahabuddin’s meeting with Mann was Dr.Bascer Ahmad Khan, president of the Insaf Party and a one-time associate of ‘Shahabuddin.

Ina statement, Dr.Baseer said the widely publicized photograph depicting Mann holding sword gather with Shahabuddin ‘and Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait would give ‘boost to the anti-Muslim propaganda of the ‘VEP.BIP combine. “Enough damage had ‘been done in the past by the irresponsible call given (by Shahabuddin) to boycott the Republic Day celebrations,” he added. Dr. Khan appealed to the Muslim league president, Sait, who dissociate himself from “unscrupulous politicians who were in- bulging in cheap publicity”.

He also appealed to Muslims to shun the agitation approach and concentrate on the legal battle, besides exerting political pressure for the restoration of the Babri ‘Masjid which has become “symbol of the preservation of the secular order”.

Meanwhile, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) termed Mann’s and Shahabuddin’s meet, as a gathering of frustrated people ‘and said the former should first visit about the Ram temple before criticizing the VHP.

The secretary of the VHP, Surya Krishna, said it was unfortunate that Mann should ‘condemn the activities of the VHP. He said it was only the Bhoomi pooj and which was performed in Ayodhya and these leaders were trying to exploit this to misguide the people, The VHP had never asked for the demolition of the masjid-they only wanted its relocation.

The VHP leader said Mann’s move to create a rift between the Hindus and Sikhs ‘would not succeed, He said the Janata Dal ‘was trying 10 shield these people and criticized V.P-Singh for misguiding the people.

Surya Krishna said the land where the Bhoomi Poojan was performed was undisputed and did not come underline purview of the court decision. The Ram Janambhoomi Nayas, he added was already in possession of the land where the Bhoomi Poojan had been performed. The VHP leader, who returned Wednesday from ‘Ayoalya said people in large number had reached the holy city to take part in the 40 days Vajrang Rudra Maha Yagna which has been going on since October 18.

PTI adds: Two prominent Jan Morcha leaders Wednesday urged the Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao to call an all-party meeting to discuss the Ayodhya issue and help defuse the volatile situation.

Article extracted from this publication >> November 1, 1991