Having offered to mediate in the Ayodhya dispute, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar today met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath but said he had no proposal yet to discuss with the stakeholders.
Ravi Shankar, who is scheduled to visit Ayodhya tomorrow, had a 40-minute meeting with Adityanath at his official residence where the two were believed to have discussed the issue.
His offer for mediating in the dispute has received a tepid and skeptical response from key protagonists on both sides, with the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) voicing reservations about his role.
In an informal interaction with journalists after meeting Adityanath, he said,”I want unity…I want amity. This is just a beginning. We will talk to all.”
When his attention was drawn to comments by some Muslim leaders rejecting his proposal to resolve the dispute, Ravi Shankar said he had no proposal at the moment so any question of rejection does not arise.
“Neither I have given any proposal nor have I got it from anyone,” he said.
A top official described the meeting between Ravi Shankar and Adityanath as “good”.
“As far as the Ayodhya issue is concerned, the chief ministers stand is very clear. The state government is not a party (to the dispute). We welcome any settlement and will honour the decision of the court,” he said.
Ravi Shankar met Suresh Das of Digambar Akhada, Janmejay Sharan of Rasikpeeth and Rajaram Chandra Acharya of Nirmohi Akahada today, apparently to explore ways for a reconciliation between the warring parties locked in a protracted legal dispute over the land on which the Babri mosque stood before being pulled down in 1992.
The matter is now pending before the Supreme Court.
