From: jakhan@IASTATE.EDU (Javed Ahmed Khan)
Subject: Re: BM-RJB issue (more developments)
Reply-To: jakhan@IASTATE.EDU (Javed Ahmed Khan)
Organization: Iowa State University
Date: Thu, 8 Oct 1992 19:50:53 GMT

In article <BvtA4z.4Bn@ucunix.san.uc.edu>, bhatnagr@ucunix.san.uc.edu (Raj
Bhatnagar) writes:
> 
> In article <1992Oct5.232704@IASTATE.EDU> jakhan@IASTATE.EDU (Javed Ahmed Khan)
writes:
> >
> >I found this in misc.news.southasia. 
> >
> >From	: S.Ramani 
> >Source	: The Times of India (Bombay), Date Oct 5, 1992
> >Country	: India 
> 
> >* Neutral Experts Flay Govt, VHP (Talks on Shrine)
> >
> >  Prasun Sonwalkar
> >  Times of India News Service (TOINS)
> >  New Delhi, Oct 4
> >
> >The four independent historians and archaeologists who participated
> >in yesterday's talks on the Ayodhya issue have reiterated their 
> >demand for permission to scrutinise the primary records relating 
> >to excavations carried in Ayodhya by Dr B B Lal in the late 70s. 
> 
> Dinesh, in his response to the above posting, has told us about
> the fallacious "neutrality" and "independence" of these so-called
> historians and archeologists.
> 
> I think the point of planting this story in the press is to
> pre-emptively shift the blame for the impending failure of 
> the continuing VHP-BMAC talks on the VHP.
> 
> According to a knowledgeable source, the current status is still in
> square one, and can be summarised as follows:
> 
> PVN Rao, hoping to be able to get something out of the VHP-BMAC
> talks had asked the VHP for three months' time and had worked to
> energize the talks initiated by Chandrashekhar when he was the
> PM. But the BMAC's attitude is evident from a statement attributed
> to Shahabuddin in which he had said that there is no point in 



A small point here: Shahabuddin does not belong to the BMAC He is the member
of the other faction BMCC. The BMAC (Javed Habib) is participating in the talks
and seems to be the most credible and serious group among the BM groups.




> continuing with the talks since both sides know each other's stand.
> 
> The talks are doomed to fail and VHP has announced that it will 
> continue with the construction at the end of the three month period.
> PVN appears to be serious in getting the dispute resolved but seems
> to have run out of ideas. He is reported to have had a meeting with Mr. 
> Sompura, the famous architect who had designed the plans for the
> new RJB temple. The speculation is that PVN has asked him to examine
> the possibility of modifying the design such that the old Babri
> structure does not need to be demolished. According to Ashok Singhal,
> the Babri structure has got to go. The Congress is party is divided 
> into two strong camps on this issue. One led by Arjun Singh
> has alligned its position completely with that of the BMAC. This
> seems to be guided by Arjun Singh's plans to keep the Muslim vote 
> bank in *his* pocket. The other group is of UP Congressmen and is
> insisting that if Hindu sentiment is not respected at this time
> on this issue, Congress may as well write off the important UP 
> state for many many years to come.


Pretty accurate estimation.



> 
> Javed Habib of BMAC had said that the Muslims should seek a 
> negotiated settlement of the RJB issue and had criticized Pakistan
> for passing a resolution on this issue. Most of the Urdu press,
> apparently under pressure from the fundamentalist section, has
> criticized Javed Habib for being weak in negotitaing with the
> VHP. According to this press, the Muslims of India have the right


The Urdu press has the same agenda as the Hindi newspapers, especially in UP
and
MP. Remeber the paranoia that gripped these newspapers during the Advani Rath
Yatra? One news paper (Aaj) even went to the extent of fabricating news to
whip up emotions at that time. It reported in a front page article that the
Muslim doctors of the medical college at Aligarh Muslim University had killed
their Hindu patients to take revenge. It was later found that the story was a
pure fabrication and no such event had occurred. On the contrary victims of the
riots at Aligarh (both Hindus and Muslims) were being treated there by these
very same Muslim doctors. 



> to criticize Israeli occupation of Al-Aksa mosque and the Muslims
> of any other country have the right to interfere in the RJB issue.
> 
> 
> Well, thats all for now.
> 
> 
> ---raj
> 



--Javed.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.indian