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No evidence of temple beneath the masjid site, say historians

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JUNE 17. Historians and archaeologists are of the view that the top leadership of the BJP is talking of a negotiated settlement and the VHP reiterating its demand for Central legislation to solve the Ayodhya dispute because the ongoing excavations at the site have not brought out evidence of a temple having existed under the Babri Masjid.

Briefing mediapersons under the banner of SAHMAT here today, they said that with the excavation bringing out evidence suggesting the existence of either a Muslim habitation or an ordinary medieval occupation prior to the construction of the Babri Masjid, the VHP and its supporters were "falling back on faith'' and the BJP was speaking of a "compromise''.

According to Prabhat Patnaik, a negotiated settlement would "allow room for arm-twisting" in a way that the weaker party lost out in the end. Also, there was the question of who would enforce a negotiated settlement. While reiterating their faith in a court verdict being the only solution, the academics argued that a compromise had no meaning when the perpetrators of the demolition walk "not only free, but are in control of the state''.

About the excavation, the eminent historian, Irfan Habib, said the "ASI had dug up and destroyed what the kar sevaks had not demolished, namely the floors and foundation walls of the masjid''. Such treatment of monumental remains would be deemed totally unprofessional and impermissible in any archaeological operation elsewhere.

As for ASI seeking the High Court's permission to continue the excavation till this month end, the archaeologists said that it was done to dig two or three trenches in the so-called "sanctuary" where the idol of Ram Lalla is placed. Barring a small area around the makeshift temple, the entire area of the masjid complex, including Ram Chabutra has been dug up to depths of several metres.

Of the view that the excavation should not have taken such a long time — given that a few trenches would have provided enough indication as to what lay beneath — Suraj Bhan, archaeologist, said the ASI was carrying on as if it was determined to find some clinching evidence to testify the presence of a temple under the masjid.

Citing the ASI's latest status report, the archaeologists said the presence of animal bones with cut marks and Muslim glazed ware negated the possibility of a temple having existed before the Babri Masjid was constructed. Add to this the absence of even a trace of anything that could indicate the structural remains of a temple. "The structural remains found in some trenches are all of construction associated with the mosque,'' they claimed.

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