Hindu fundamentalists threaten to grab mosque site for temple

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council-VHP) threatened to forcibly take over the site which it claims to be the birthplace of Hindu god Rama if the government did not hand it over to them within a year for building a Hindu temple. Mahant Ramachandra Das, who heads a VHP-backed trust to build a temple to Hindu god Rama at the place where fundamentalists demolished the 16th century Babri mosque in 1992 said the decision to set a deadline was taken Thursday night at a meeting of leaders of VHP, the militant Bajrang Dal and the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), the ideological force behind the premier Atal Behari Vajpayee's Bharatiya Janata Party.

"We will meet the Prime Minister and give him one more chance to resolve the Ayodhya issue" he said. A VHP-sponsored Dharma Sansad (religious parliament) began a three-day session in Allahabad Friday to fix a date for beginning construction of the temple at the site which the zealots claim to be Rama's birthplace. The Hindu leaders are meeting on the occasion of the Mahaumbh Mela fair, billed the biggest human gathering in the world.

But differences are already evident in the fundamentalist ranks, with the Akhara Parishad, an umbrella organization of various Hindu monk orders deciding to keep away from the VHP meeting. The parishad accuses the VHP of politicizing the temple issue and says the matter should be decided by religious leaders.

Indian media reports said last minute efforts were still on before the sansad meeting was to begin to ensure that the powerful Akhara Parishad which has several highly influential Hindu leaders did not take up cudgels against the VHP. The demolition of the Babri mosque triggered countrywide violence in which hundreds of people were killed. The federal government contends that the problem could be solved either by abiding by a verdict of a court which is now hearing the issue or through negotiations between Hindu and Moslem leaders.

(la/dpa)