The Hindu : Govt. will abide by SC directive on `puja': PM

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 10, 2002

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Govt. will abide by SC directive on `puja': PM
By Harish Khare

The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, with a delegation of the All-India Organisation of Imams in New Delhi on Saturday. - AFP

NEW DELHI, MARCH 9. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, today made it clear that the proposed ``symbolic puja'' by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad on March 15 at Ayodhya would be allowed to take place only if there were no objections from the Supreme Court. He told a delegation of Muslim clerics this evening that ``the Government will do as per the directions of the Supreme Court which is hearing the matter on March 13.''

There has been considerable criticism from within the ruling NDA and the Opposition that the Vajpayee Government would be departing from its commitment _ and its legal obligation _ of maintaining the status quo, should it permit the VHP to perform a symbolic `puja.' This permission is part of a ``formula'' worked out by the Kanchi Sankaracharya, under which the Ramjanmabhoomi Trust has undertaken to accept the judicial verdict in the Ayodhya dispute. The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board is scheduled to take a view on the ``formula'' tomorrow.

Mr. Vajpayee's remarks came on the eve of the crucial meeting of the Muslim Personal Law Board. Addressing the concerns about the Government's approach, Mr. Vajpayee made it clear that whatever directions the Supreme Court issued would have to be respected ``by all.'' He also said the court could endorse the ``symbolic puja'' proposal while stipulating that such permission in no way would prejudice the legal case of any of the litigants.

This is the first time the Prime Minister has made his views known on the current developments in the Ayodhya dispute. Noting that the Supreme Court would be hearing a petition on March 13, he observed ``if the court says one does not have a right to perform the puja or the place is such which cannot be touched, then a new episode will begin.'' These remarks are addressed as much to the Muslim community as to his own increasingly restive NDA allies.

In a related development, the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, revealed that the Uttar Pradesh Government had requested Army deployment in Ayodhya to deal with any unpredictable situation. ``In the past few days, we have been getting telephonic requests from Faizabad district administration but since last night the requests have become intense,'' Mr. Fernandes told a seminar.

The idea perhaps was to convey that the Centre was being watchful about the law and order situation. However, later in the evening, the Uttar Pradesh Governor, Vishnu Kant Shastri, told mediapersons in Lucknow that he had only requested that the Army be put on ``alert.'' Whatever the confusion, it was learnt from responsible sources that the Army would be on a ``stand-by.''

PTI reports:

Terming the change in the VHP's stand on the disputed site as a ``big development,'' Mr. Vajpayee urged the Muslim community to appreciate its significance. ``Earlier, they were saying they do not recognise the role of the judiciary in this dispute. Now they have changed their position in this matter. This has created a positive atmosphere.''

There were two ways to resolve the issue. ``Either we should sit down and hammer out a solution through talks or go to court and knock its door... the issue which we cannot resolve should be entrusted to the court and its verdict adhered to,'' he said.

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