CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu, or people hailing from here, will play a crucial role in the mediation of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute. For, all the three persons on the mediation panel are from Tamil Nadu. About 15 years back, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi had tried to mediate on the issue but the move did not succeed.
Retired Supreme Court Judge Fakkir Mohammed Kalifulla (67) was born in Karaikudi in Sivaganga district. He became judge of Madras High Court in 2000, was later elevated as judge of Supreme Court in 2012 and retired in July 2016. “We will take every step to resolve the dispute amicably,” Kalifulla said after his appointment.
The retired justice has delivered several landmark verdicts. One relates to the introduction of Vedic astrology as a course of scientific study in Indian universities, which had the seal of approval of the Supreme Court.
Sri Sri Ravishankar (62) was born in Papanasam in Tirunelveli district and is the founder of the Art of Living Foundation. He has already tried to intervene in the Ayodhya issue but his suggestion was rejected by the Muslim body. Very recently, on the Ayodhya issue, Ravi Shankar said people wanted the temple there and not the saints.
“The government should make efforts to ensure that the temple is built at the Ram Janmabhoomi. The Supreme Court’s intervention should be the second option. An interference by the law of the country should be the last resort,” he had said, attracting widespread criticism.
Sriram Panchu is a city-based senior advocate and mediator. He is founder of The Mediation Chambers, which offers services in mediation and med-arb (mediation and arbitration). He is the president of the Association of Indian Mediators and a director on the board of the International Mediation Institute.
When contacted for his comments on being appointed as one of the mediators, Sriram Panchu told Express, “It is a very serious responsibility given to me by the Supreme Court. I will do my best.”
Flashback
Jayendra Saraswathi attempted to broker peace on the Ayodhya issue and wrote a series of letters to the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Though his mediation was welcomed initially by both groups, later, both VHP and AIMPLB disowned the seer’s efforts. Jayendra Saraswathi once said, people of Ayodhya - both Muslims and Hindus, live amicably and once the outside elements leave, peace would prevail there.