Sri Sri meets Lko imam, discusses temple issue
LUCKNOW: Continuing his marathon session of meetings with various stakeholders to sort out the Ram temple issue, spiritual guru and founder of Art of Living Sri Sri Ravi Shankar met on Friday Sunni cleric and Imam of Aishbagh Eidgah maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has made it clear that none of its members have been authorized to hold discussions on its behalf. Maulana Khalid Rashid, who is executive member of the Board, later said his meeting with Sri Sri was strictly in the capacity of imam and shahar quazi, and not as member of AIMPLB.
The one-on-one meeting lasted for about 35 minutes. “All issues can be resolved through dialogue,” Ravi Shankar said after meeting Rashid and some other Muslim leaders as part of his efforts to mediate a solution to the protracted dispute.
Ravi Shankar was in Ayodhya on Thursday and met various leaders across the religious spectrum. “Judgement of a court is fine but if we find a solution through our hearts it will be recognised through the ages,” Ravi Shankar told newspersons after meeting Muslim leaders in Lucknow.
“We accept that it is a little late for such efforts but we want that the issue should be resolved soon,” Ravi Shankar said adding, “We are not working on an agenda but simply trying to find a way.”
On his part, Khalid Rashid said differences could be resolved if leaders of both the sides sat together and talked reg- ularly.
Ravi Shankar had met Dinendra Das of the Nirmohi Akhara as well as some Muslim leaders in Ayodhya and Faizabad on Thursday.
His efforts to mediate have found favour only with a section of both communities with major parties, including the AIMPLB and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, expressing their reservations.
A day before visiting Ayodhya, he had met Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow.
MAULANA KHALID RASHID, WHO IS EXECUTIVE MEMBER OF THE BOARD, LATER SAID HIS MEETING WITH SRI SRI WAS STRICTLY IN THE CAPACITY OF IMAM AND SHAHAR QUAZI, AND NOT AS MEMBER OF AIMPLB