Activists hope for out-of-court deal

NEW DELHI: Within hours of the Allahabad HC judgment, a group of Muslim activists and opinion-makers got together to explore if there were ways of settling the Ayodhya issue other than going to the Supreme Court in appeal.
According to sources, the gathering was of the view that prolonging the legal battle would be a futile exercise, particularly when the court had recognized the Muslims' claim to the disputed land by awarding them one-third of it.
They agreed that the best course left for the community was a negotiated settlement without any further court-room confrontation. "We now have two choices — either we ask the government to execute the HC order or go for a settlement through talks," said a participant.
For the representatives of various Muslim bodies, it was a bold move given the fact that a number of community leaders had already declared their intention to challenge the HC judgment in the apex court.
Interestingly, after the meeting, some of the participants met a senior Congress leader to further discuss the viewpoint. They have begun consultations with like-minded activists to build a consensus on the issue. The group will meet shortly to take a formal stand on the matter.
The pragmatic approach of ending the Babri Masjid tangle is certain to have a rough ride with some hardliners within the community terming the Lucknow bench judgment as disappointing.