The Hindu : No dilution in stand on Kashi, Mathura: RSS

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 14, 2004

National

National

No dilution in stand on Kashi, Mathura: RSS

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI, FEB. 13. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh said today that it would welcome all efforts to resolve the Ayodhya dispute through negotiations and was hopeful of a breakthrough given the "spirit of accommodation" and "sensitivity to Hindu sentiments" shown by a large section of Muslims. It appreciated the recent fatwa from the Dar-ul-Uloom in Deoband asking Muslims not to sacrifice cows during the festival of Id-ul-Zuha.

However, the RSS made it clear that there was no dilution in its stand on Kashi and Mathura. It said that at some stage the Places of Worship Act would have to be repealed to allow for "resolution" of these two "disputes" also. "But for the moment we are only talking about Ayodhya. If we find a solution, then we will also be able to find solutions for Kashi and Mathura," the RSS spokesperson, Ram Madhav, said here.

But the RSS would not give up its demand on Kashi and Mathura to help resolve the Ayodhya imbroglio. Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura were part of the RSS agenda and there was no change in that. "We want bhavya (grand) temples in Mathura and Kashi too," he added.

Even on Ayodhya, Mr. Madhav said, "no settlement was possible unless the Centre repeals the Acquisition Act under which the disputed land and the area around it was taken over by the Central Government. Parliament would have to be involved in any settlement of Ayodhya, Kashi or Mathura.

He was happy that the Bharatiya Janata Party would this time, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, bring out its own "vision statement" as distinct from the agenda of governance of the National Democratic Alliance. "Ideally, we expect the BJP's own document to reflect its commitment on all the major issues which have been on its agenda since the Jana Sangh days." These would include Ayodhya, abrogation of Article 370 and a uniform civil code, he said.

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