AYODHYA

A Minister's commitment

The youngest member of the Vajpayee Cabinet, Civil Aviation Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, is said to be enjoying the Prime Minister's confidence on the Ayodhya issue. The NDA government, he says, is bound by the commitment given to the nation by the Prime Minister and Home Minister that the status quo shall be maintained at Ayodhya until a solution to the problem is found either through the courts or through dialogue. Excerpts from an interview he gave Purnima S. Tripathi:

R.V. MOORTHY

The VHP has announced its plan to start the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya in March. How does the government plan to tackle it?

We are very clear that there are only two ways in which a solution to Ayodhya could be found: either through the judicial process or through dialogue. In the meantime, the NDA government is bound by the commitment given by the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to the nation that the status quo will be maintained there. We should trust the Prime Minister and the Home Minister.

The Prime Minister has said that the Ayodhya issue will be resolved by March 12. How is this to be done?

The Prime Minister knows best. I can only say that whatever is the solution, it should be acceptable to both Hindus and Muslims. Even if a temple is built there, it should be acceptable to Muslims. Otherwise it would sow the seeds of future discord. Whatever is built at Ayodhya should be a symbol of friendship and peace between Hindus and Muslims.

But the VHP talks of constructing a temple at any cost.

They are merely retaliating to the constant politicisation of the Ayodhya issue by the Congress and the Samajwadi Party in view of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The Ayodhya problem has been created because of the mishandling of the issue by Congress governments in the past and the party is repeating the same mistake. For them (the Congress and the Samajwadi Party), Muslims have only one problem: the Babri Masjid. So they are trying to appease Muslims by keeping the issue alive. Why don't they talk of real problems such as education, unemployment and backwardness if they are our real well-wishers.

Can you say categorically on behalf of the NDA government that the temple construction will not begin in Ayodhya as announced by the VHP?

Yes, I can give my commitment on behalf of the NDA government that no temple construction will begin until it is acceptable to Muslims also. Suppose a temple is built there and it is not acceptable to Muslims, somebody would go there hundred years later and demolish it again. A lasting solution can only be found if it is acceptable to both Hindus and Muslims.