Shankaracharya met community leaders for out-of-court settlement

This is the reason why the Shankaracharya did not seem worried over the latest remarks of the Muslim Personal Law Board since it’s the Sunni Wakf Board which has to cooperate.

(In Jaipur today, the Shankaracharya said that Hindus and Muslims would submit their agreement in the Supreme Court. ‘‘The two sides are working towards an honourable settlement of the issue. Until now, only informal discussion had been going on. After a few days, work will start in written form.’’ He did not disclose who all were discussing the issue on behalf of the two communities: ‘‘Woh nahin bolega (I won’t disclose that),’’ reports PTI).

Sources said that the Shankaracharya, when he went to Lucknow, met prominent Muslim leaders for two hours where he unveiled what is called the ‘Triveni Plan.’ It aims at an out-of-court settlement of the Ayodhya issue. The focus is on getting the title suit withdrawn to take the entire matter out of the court’s purview.

The Triveni Plan, which he also spelt out on Sunday during the function to felicitate him in New Delhi, involves the Government, Shankaracharya and the Muslims.

The Kanchi Shankaracharya has been involved for long with the efforts to amicably settle the Ayodhya issue. In fact, Rajiv Gandhi, when he was the Prime Minister, had called on Jayendra Saraswati at Allahabad and sought his intervention.

Accompanied by G K Moopanar and R Venkataraman, Rajiv had met the Shankaracharya who advised him to get the locks to the disputed site removed. After the locks were gone, the Shankaracharya had darshan at the disputed site.

As part of the continuing efforts, Ali Mian of the Nadwat-ul-Uloom had come to Kanchi to meet the Paramacharya. At that time, the Paramacharya had favoured emulation in Ayodhya of the Kanchi model where a mosque co-exists with the temple. But Jayendra Saraswati, who succeeded the Paramacharya, favoured only a temple at the disputed site.

Having come closer to the Vajpayee Government, the Shankaracharya offered to mediate between the Muslim and Hindus to resolve the crisis. Since motives would be attributed if the VHP were allowed to step in, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee began projecting the Shankaracharya by backing him to the hilt.

During his frequent visits to Delhi, key ministers of the Vajpayee government and the RSS top-brass have been holding talks with the Shankaracharya to review the progress. In the last 10 days, Sheshadharichari and Ram Madhav of the RSS have come calling.

So have Union Ministers George Fernandes, Swami Chinmayanand, I D Swami and C P Thakur. For the Sindhu Darshan in Leh, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani invited the Shankaracharya.

Former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao has also been a regular visitor. But Sunday night’s remarks by Jayendra Saraswati — he said Narasimha Rao should be credited for the installation of the idol at the disputed site immediately after the demolition of Babri Masjid — has embarrassed both Rao and the Congress.

Within the BJP establishment, the Kanchi Shankaracharya has emerged as a key player who has succeeded in identifying himself with them. Although the BJP is jubilant, the casualty has been the neutral image of Jayendra Saraswati.