No talks with VHP, says Muslim Law Board

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 21. The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board today indicated that it was prepared to consider the possibility of a negotiated settlement of the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi issue, albeit with a proviso that the negotiations would only be held with the Central Government.

The AIMPLB executive committee, which met here today, later issued a statement saying, ``the Government must take the responsibility and create the right environment by reining in the hardliners.'' The Board, however, rejected the idea of negotiating with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad or the Bajrang Dal. ``There is absolutely no question whatsoever of negotiating with those who demolished the Babri Masjid and are now planning to challenge and defy the law,'' Syed Shahbuddin, AIMPLB member, later told reporters.

Today's meeting was held in the backdrop of the VHP- sponsored ``dharam sansad'' in Allahabad and in the wake of reports that it would announce the date for construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The Board put the onus of controlling the hotheads in the Sangh Parivar on the Government, rather than join the VHP in a war of words. The AIMPLB resolution described the VHP's threat to forcibly build a temple at the disputed site next year as a ``challenge to the state and the Constitution and not just a problem of the Muslims''.

Making it clear that it was the sole body authorised to negotiate on behalf of the Muslim community, the AIMPLB said any attempt to coerce local Muslims into negotiating with Mr. Vinay Katiyar, BJP MP from Faizabad, would be prove a non- starter.

A five-member committee comprising Maulana Nizamuddin, Mr. Yusuf Muchhala, Syed Shahbuddin, Maulana Sajjad Nomani and Mr. Zafaryab Jilani was formed to monitor the situation.

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