Final secret negotiations in India’s Babri-temple dispute from July 29

Dubai: A high-powered mediation panel seeking an out-of-court settlement for India’s over a century old temple-mosque dispute will launch the final round of secret negotiations with Muslim and Hindu litigants in New Delhi on July 29, Gulf News can exclusively reveal.

The mediation panel that includes Justice FM Ibrahim Kalifulla, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu, was set up in March by Supreme Court which is hearing a clutch of petitions challenging the order of a lower court which divided a disputed piece of land into three parts – two to Hindus and one to Muslims.

The case, known as Babri Masjid-Ram Temple dispute first started during the British rule in 1885 when Hindus sought control of the Mughal era mosque claiming that their revered deity Ram was born at the spot in Ayodhya town.

This mosque was demolished in 1992 by Hindu zealots, triggering nationwide sectarian violence, killing thousands.

On July 15, Gulf News reported that a solution to this dispute may be on the horizon after Muslim litigants indicated to the mediation panel that they are ready to give up claims on the 2.77 acres of land in Ayodhya.

Three days later on July 18, the mediation panel submitted a progress report to the Supreme Court which asked the negotiation team to submit its final report by July 31 and adjourned the case till August 2.

“To prepare this final report, the mediation panel will hold a final round of negotiations from July 29. The secret negotiations will continue for four days from July 29 at UP Sadan in New Delhi,” sources familiar with the mediation process told Gulf News on Saturday.

“During these four days, the panel will hold negotiations with Hindu and Muslim litigants separately and at some point of time may have joint discussions with all the litigants,” the sources explained. The sources declined to be identified for this report as the Supreme Court has barred Indian media from reporting the mediation panel deliberations.

Earlier this month, sources had told Gulf News that “a majority of the Muslim litigants have decided to settle this dispute by giving up the claim on the mosque site and allow construction of a Ram temple.”

On Saturday, the sources said Muslim stakeholders involved in the negotiations are moving forward cautiously to avoid any backlash from the community. "But things are moving in the right direction," the sources added.

What will happen from July 29

“The mediation panel has to draft a final report and define issues on which a negotiated settlement of the dispute will be proposed to the Supreme Court. It will have to take the litigants’ consent in writing. On August 1, the panel will submits its report to the Chief Justice who will hear the issue the following day,” the sources explained.

On Saturday, Gulf News spoke to Babri Masjid Action Committee convener Zafaryab Jilani who confirmed the meetings in New Delhi.

“I am not attending due to personal engagements but our lawyers MR Shamshad and Shakeel Ahmed will represent the Muslim litigants,” he said. Jilani, who is also a member of All India Personal Law Board, met the mediation panel on July 20 in Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh state.

“I can’t disclose what we discussed in that meeting where the Muslim board secretary Wali Rahmani was also present,” Jilani said, emphasizing on the sensitivity of the issue.

The mediation panel sent the invites for the secret negotiations on July 24 but it was not immediately clear how many litigants would be part of this meeting.

Iqbal Ansari, son of Hashim Ansari, who was the main litigant in the Babri dispute case, however, told Gulf News on Saturday that his lawyers have instructed him not to attend. Hashim Ansari, a resident of Ayodhya was one of the oldest litigant in the case and after his death, Iqbal, his son is fighting the legal battle.

“A total 25 litigants and their lawyers have received the invites,” Ansari said.