The Hindu : Centre rules out role for Kanchi Acharya in Ayodhya issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 31, 2003

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Centre rules out role for Kanchi Acharya in Ayodhya issue

New Delhi May 30 . The Centre today ruled out the direct involvement of Kanchi Acharya, Jayendra Saraswati, in the Ayodhya peace process for the time being as it did not want him to get embroiled in any controversy even as the Acharya sought to distance himself from the issue saying it had become politicised.

``In my opinion, it is not proper now to involve a person of his stature in the Ayodhya tangle though we would be seeking his blessings at every step,'' the Minister of State for Home, Swami Chinmayananda, said after meeting the pontiff, who arrived here en route to Leh to attend the Sindhu Darshan festival.

``We don't want his prestige to get embroiled in any controversy,'' he said in an apparent reference to the abortive attempt made by the Acharya last year to arrive at a solution to the issue. He, however, did not rule out discussing the issue, among other things, with the Acharya in Ladakh.

Earlier, on his arrival at the Kamakshi temple in south-west Delhi, the Shankaracharya said he would keep away from the Ayodhya issue as it has been politicised. ``Now politics has entered. I will keep quiet,'' he said.

He replied in the negative when asked whether he would make a fresh initiative to solve the issue.

He also ruled out meeting the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, in this regard. — PTI

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