BENGALURU: Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has urged Hindu and Muslim leaders to find an out-of-the court settlement for Ram Janmabhoomi Babri Masjid issue, otherwise the country will be pushed to the brink of a civil war.“The best solution, according to me, is an out-of-court settlement in which the Muslim bodies come forward and gift one acre of land to the Hindus who in turn will gift five acres of land nearby to the Muslims, to build a better mosque. It is a win-win situation in which the Muslims will not only gain the goodwill of 100 crore Hindus but it will also put this issue to rest once and for all,” Ravi Shankar stated in an open letter to the president and members of All India Muslim Personal Law Board.
“A falak nama will recognise that this temple has been built with the cooperation of both the Hindus and Muslims. It will put to rest the issue for future generations and coming centuries.”He said that going through the court is a loss for both the communities. “I urge the leaders of both faiths to take this action seriously, otherwise we are pushing our country to the brink of a civil war. The world has seen too much of this already. Let us instead, showcase to the world that India is different and that we can resolve our internal issues amicably.”
The letter stated: “Now, the big question is whether it is permissible by the Quran to shift the mosque to another location. The answer is yes. I have personally heard this from the respected cleric Maulana Salman Nadvi and many other Muslim scholars. They are not surrendering this land to the people who demolished the Babri Masjid or to a particular organisation. On the contrary, they are gifting it to the people of India. They must keep this in their minds and spirit. There is no surrendering. It is only reconciliation and an expression of their broad mindedness, benevolence, magnanimity and goodwill.”
Emphasing the need for building trust between the two communities, he stated. “ Let us be reminded that the Supreme Court itself suggested resolving the conflict outside the court. I request all the stakeholders to think over these options with the hope that they put the nation first above petty politics and sentiment and allow for the fostering and building of trust, love and brotherhood between the two communities.”