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Parallel Hindu body declares war on VHP

Sounding the bugle of revolt against the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a parallel body of Hindu saints on Thursday resolved to work out an amicable solution to the centuries old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute in Ayodhya.

Drawn from local congregations and a few other north Indian religious centres, these "anti-VHP" saints met formally for the first time on Thursday under the banner of the Vishwa Dharam Raksha Parishad. The parishad threatened to wage a war against the VHP, which they alleged was indulging in "petty politicking".

The parishad resolved "to ensure peaceful co-existence of both a temple and a mosque" at the disputed site.

Contrary to earlier announcements, no prominent representative of any other community was present. Social activist Nafisa Ali was the only Muslim of prominence to join the meet.

While giving a clarion call to oust the VHP from the temple movement, the leaders of the outfit even threatened to use force against them.

Baba Dharam Das, the mahant (caretaker) of Ayodhya's oldest temple, Hanuman Garhi, told the gathering how he had given his property to the VHP for the construction of a temple. "Initially, when Vishnu Hari Dalmia and Ashok Singhal of [the] VHP came to me, I was taken in by their tall claims and proclaimed commitment to the cause of Ram Janmabhoomi. I could never imagine that these people would go astray and use the temple card only to fill their coffers."

"All that [the] VHP has done over the years is to collect crores of rupees in the name of temple construction. I would now like to ask them what they have done with all that money, as the bank account of the Ram Temple Trust shows a far less amount," he charged.

"We want to see a grand temple at the birthplace of Lord Ram, but we do not want the foundations of this temple to be laid on violence and communal disharmony," Das added.

Brahmaswaroop Brahmachari, a prominent Hindu seer from Haridwar, was even more critical of VHP chief Ashok Singhal. "[The] VHP has only exploited sadhus and played with their religious feelings and sentiments," he said. "I find that Hindus and Muslims enjoy utmost cordial relations in Ayodhya, but communal trouble is fomented by people sitting in New Delhi."

"Singhal had earlier tried to vitiate the environment in Haridwar by attempting to stall the construction of the Tehri Dam by distorting facts and misleading common masses. But we intervened to put things straight and then the public warned him to keep off," he said.

"He stands badly exposed in Haridwar where the sadhu samaj has told him in no uncertain terms to lay off," he said.

While flaying the VHP for vitiating the environment in the country, he described Thursday's initiative "as the first significant step towards mobilising opinion among Hindu saints towards building the Ram temple in Ayodhya without disturbing communal peace".

The parishad proposed to hold a major convention in Haridwar on September 22. "We will have the leading luminaries of various Hindu congregations to participate in the meet that will sound the death knell of communal bodies like the VHP," Brahmachari declared.

Another saint from Haridwar, Hans Das, who is also the general secretary of the Akhil Bhartiya Sant Samiti, said: "Let the VHP leaders know that India is not a nation of Hindus alone -- it is a land of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians who have equal right over this soil. We will not allow VHP to succeed in its designs aimed at only forging a divide in the nation."

The Ayodhya Issue: Complete Coverage

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