LUCKNOW: The three-member mediation panel commenced proceeding amid heavy security arrangements in Faizabad on Wednesday. The panel, comprising retired Supreme Court judge - Justice Khalifullah, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar of Art of Living Foundation and senior advocate and mediation expert Sriram Panchu, was set up by the apex court to give mediation a chance to resolve the vexed Ayodhya issue.
The arrangements for proceedings of the panel were made at a hall of Ram Manohar Lohia University, earlier known as Awadh university amid tight security. The panellists were made to stay at the guest house on the campus of the university.
The district administration had arranged foolproof security in and around the venue and also ensured personal security to the litigants and their lawyers as well, according to the sources.
Meanwhile, a day ahead of the commencement of formal proceedings of the mediation, the main litigants of Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, Iqbal Ansari and members of Sunni Waqf Board were closeted in a day-long meeting with members of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and Babari Masjid Action Committee in Lucknow.
All the Muslim parties had huddled to thrash out their stand and strategy for appearing before the mediation panel. Among the main litigants, Iqbal Ansari, son of late Hashim Ansari, Mohammad Umer, son of Mohammad Farooq and Haji Mehboob, son of Haji Mehmood Ahmad, were present along with their counsels in the meeting of Muslim parties at Darul-Uloom –Ndawatul- Ulama in Lucknow.
AIMPLB chairman Maulana Rabey Hasan Nadwi and general secretary Maulana Wali Rehmani were reportedly present in the meeting.
Notably, the majority of Muslim parties was ready for the mediation process. However, saints and seers of Ayodhya wanted the court to deliver a verdict in the pending title suit instead of exploring mediation option.
Even more, the Hindu parties, as well as AIMIM chief Asasuddin Owaisi, had raised an objection to the inclusion of Sri Sri Ravishankar in the panel. The saints and seer of Ayodhya wanted their representatives to be the member of the mediation panel.