East Indian Culture and Cuisine — Part I

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March 29, 2019

The East Indian Catholic community of Mumbai most certainly is not from the east of India, as the name suggests. The community was first recognised in the year 1896, but that was not the year of its origin. East Indians are indigenous to the heartland of what might be said to comprise the former Salsette Islands — including Bandra, Kurla, Thane, and Bhayandar. They are local Christians of long standing, who did not want the British Colonial government to confuse them with the Goans, the Mangloreans and other Christian settlers in the region. Hence, they decided to adopt a name that would make them stand out as a separate Christian identity, and adopted the name ‘East Indians’ to impress upon the British that they were the earliest Christians, Marathi speaking and very much sons and daughters of the soil of Mumbai (Mobai in East Indian Marathi). The community is based largely on a variety of sub-communities, or rather the amalgamation of five basic cultural groups, Samvedi Christians, Koli Christians, Vadval Christians, Sutars and Salsette Christians.

To trace the ancestry of the East Indians, one must take a step back into history over 500 years ago, to the advent of the Portuguese on these shores. Some like Dr. Elsie Baptista, who did a socio-cultural study on the community, takes her story even further back to the first century A.D. to apostolic times of St. Bartholomew, who first preached Christianity in North Konkan.

The East Indians do owe their origins in terms of a community to the Portuguese. The entire villages at a time were baptized in the new faith and given Christian names and surnames. It is not uncommon even today to find a village full of people bearing the same surnames even though the families may not always be related.

East Indians speak a blend of pure Marathi, Portuguese and English, and have a rich culture and cuisine.

East Indians love eating good food. Besides the vindaloo and the sorpotel made of pork, they also love kanji curry, prawn balchao, duck moile, khudi curry and roast meat (Look up the internet for these East Indian recipes).

The traditional dress of the East Indian women is called a ‘lugade’ or a ‘lugra’. It is a nine-yard hand woven cotton sari with faintly visible checks from afar, available in colours of navy blue, red and green.

(The latter part of the Diary will continue on Sunday.)

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

Letters to the Editor: March 29, 2019

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Web Team

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March 29, 2019

Industry loses yet another ‘Richard Branson’ of Indian aviation

The Indian sky has witnessed a history with forceful ‘de-planning’ of the Chairman from the board of Jet Airways. The exit was inevitable owing to dilution of the shares from debt to equity thereby being ‘de-restored’ finally from the board. The exit also comes at a time when the aviation industry is witnessing huge challenges owing to management- ownership control, financial disputes leading to mounting losses, rising fuel costs, aircraft technical and maintenance issues forcing cancellations, emergence of Low Cost Carriers model against Full Service Carriers etc. to name a few.

After collapse of Air Deccan and Kingfisher Airlines with exalted success stories, it is now the turn of Jet Airways which has failed to capitalise on being run as a ‘one-man’ leadership airline. It is also known that such a move leading to complete exit from the airline industry was an outcome of ‘one-man’ leaders being at the sole mercy of lenders/bankers- owing to archaic financial regulations and unfriendly investor/industry polices to a certain extent.

One only hopes that the new government formed in June post General Elections 2019 will initiate key airline-investor friendly polices on urgent basis to revive the Indian skies, repose faith in the passengers and restore declining airline traffic and thus strive to keep airline industry soaring high in the Indian skies. With the recent exit of Goyal, the industry has lost yet another ‘Richard Branson’ of Indian aviation.

Varun Dambal

Change poll-symbol of BSP rather than covering elephants

BSP supremo during her regime in UP had installed large number of statues of elephants throughout the state especially in newly developed public-places. Heavy money is spent during poll-season in covering these statues of elephants because elephant is party-symbol of BSP. Rather than such heavy spending from public-exchequer in covering statues of elephants after every two or three years, Election Commission of India ECI should freeze elephant as poll-symbol, and all political parties including BSP should be given some other election-symbol.

ECI has also taken cognizance, and rightly too, of photos of Prime Minister printed on rail-tickets and boarding-passes of Air India. Hoardings at almost every petrol-pump bearing photos of Prime Minister had to be removed after implementation of Model code of conduct for elections. It may be recalled that billboards at all national highways carrying photos of the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had to be covered at huge cost after announcement of elections. Unnecessary spending of public-money must be saved by imposing ban of photos of political rulers in government-advertisements.

Madhu Agrawal

Ban car-loans to check ever-increasing car-population

It refers to data that car-population and density (number of cars per kilometer length in a city) is on continuous rise throughout the country with disciplined Mumbai having maximum car-density of 518 as compared to just 108 in Delhi. Interestingly cities like Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru with car-density of 359, 319, 297 and 149 are far ahead than Delhi in terms of car-density. Delhi has maximum number of private cars at 32.46 lakhs leaving Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune and Kolkata far behind at 15.73, 10.2, 8.47, 7.91 and 5.91 lakhs respectively.

Continuous development and construction of new roads and flyovers is not enough to meet ever-growing car-population in the country especially in capital city of Delhi which has 28000 kilometers road-length as compared to just 2000 kilometers in Mumbai. Study should be made about quite low number of private cars in metro-city of Kolkata which has just 5.91 lakhs private cars as compared to Delhi having 32.46 lakh private cars even though Delhi has vast and perhaps biggest network of metro-rail.

To effectively check growth of private cars is to impose a total ban on car-financing to be started with Delhi and initially on cars with ex-showroom price of say Rs 10 lakhs. Such a step will discourage production of costly cars including SUVs (Socially Useless Vehicles) occupying much-more space on roads and parking-lots. Car-manufacturers will then compete in providing maximum comfort in low-priced cars with ex-showroom-price less than Rs 10 lakhs. Car-financing must not be allowed on diesel-driven cars irrespective of price-tag because diesel is deliberately kept lower priced because of its use in commercial vehicles but is being misused in costly cars with diesel engines. Rather sale of diesel-cars should be totally banned.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal

Sanatan and allegations

There is now nothing new in allegations made against Sanatan Sanstha. This time, however, the allegations are connected to Congress’ Lok Sabha candidate Navinchandra Bandiwadekar from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency and Sanatan Sanstha. It has been observed that in all allegations made so far, Sanatan Sanstha has been a constant factor of target because no accusation against this ‘Sanstha’ has been proved so far which seems to be quite infuriating for its opponents. It has been realized that the ‘Sanstha’ cannot be implicated in earlier accusations; therefore, something new is thrust upon, only to ensure Sanstha’s defamation and special attention is paid to see that the feeling of hatred would remain generated amongst people towards this ‘Sanstha’. One simple example is when a person is continuously accused of something, earlier background of such person is investigated and it becomes easy to draw some conclusions against that person. In case of Sanatan Sanstha, it is observed that attempts are made to implicate its name anyhow so that the name would linger in people’s mind. Why shouldn’t it be said that care is taken to see that people would always have suspicion over the ‘Sanstha’. People are saying that Sanatan Sanstha has been purposely pulled into the battle of forthcoming Parliamentary elections.

Manasi Joshi

Congress, issuing tickets to controversial candidates

Questions are being raised about both Congress and NCP issuing tickets to controversial names and that is causing ripples in the minds of party cadres and the opposition is looking for a big opening with tainted personalities in the election field. Social and secular commitment is important in politics and there is no reason to show favoritism. Eye-brows have also been raised by NCP issuing ticket to history sheeter and it is giving scope for the ruling party to reap rich harvest of seats in Maharashtra. Congress is desperate and the alliance partner NCP is having such personalities with criminal background as well. So, the social activists have demanded withdrawal of such candidates from the election arena. It is a matter of time that will provide an answer to all these ways of fielding such secular activists in the name of vote bank politics.

Karthik Krishnan

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

Dreaded UP gangster gets cops drunk in Meerut hotel, escapes from custody

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Afternoon Voice

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March 29, 2019

Notorious Gangster of Western Uttar Pradesh, Badan Singh Baddo, fled from police custody while being taken for a court hearing.

Baddo, who was lodged in Fatehgarh jail, was sent to Ghaziabad for a court hearing on Thursday. However, under mysterious circumstances, he fled from a Meerut hotel where he had gone along with police personnel.

Following the incident, Meerut Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nitin Tiwari reached the hotel and ordered the arrest of police personnel who were part of the team responsible for the movement of convict Baddo from jail to court.

Meerut: Baddan Singh, an arrested criminal escaped police custody reportedly after throwing a liquor party for the police personnel in a hotel. Akhilesh Narayan Singh, SP Meerut says, "Six police officials and three civilians arrested in the case. Investigation underway." pic.twitter.com/NjsgtyNINB

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 29, 2019

Superintendent of Police, Akhilesh Narayan Singh told agencies, “Biddo had fled while he was being taken to Fatehgarh jail after being produced in the court. We are investigating the circumstances under which he fled. Six police personnel and three other individuals have been arrested in the case.”

Police has registered a case and is investigating the incident.

Damn with #ModelCodeofConduct

By

Afternoon Voice

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March 28, 2019

The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the 2019 Lok Sabha poll schedule on March 10 and the voting will take place in seven phases starting from April 11 to May 19, 2019. With the announcement of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has come in force which presents the guidelines in conducting the free and fair election in the country. These guidelines give an overview of the political parties and candidates about what to do and what not to before and during the elections. Under the Model Code of Conduct, leaders and political parties are also not allowed to count and showcase their achievements and whatever work they have done during their tenure in the government and if they are caught doing the same, then the Election Commission has the authority to take action against them for violating the Model Code of Conduct.

However, leader across the nation are breaking all the rules and regulations that the MCC has set up by using the public means in their political campaigning, be it Corporators, MLAs, MPs, State Ministers or National Ministers – all are promoting themselves and their political parties by inaugurating shops, schools, and other organisations as well as by sticking their posters, hoardings, and signboards on public places like government and private toilets, in parks, on trees and distributing their pamphlets in public, and above all running ambulances by the name of their political party and helping the people when elections are inching closer so that they can emotionally convince the voters that they are the real leaders and their party is the only outfit which works for the harmony of the society.

The Model Code of Conduct is a set of guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India to be followed by both the political parties and candidates contesting the elections. The MCC is a set of instructions on complaining, general conduct and meetings during the election and it remains effective till the entire election process is completed. This is in keeping with Article 324 of the Constitution which gives power to the EC to supervise the elections to the Parliament and the state legislatures. The MCC came into force after the Election Commission declares the election schedule, however, for the general elections this year, the MCC came into force on March 10, 2019, when the election schedule was announced and will remain in force till May 23, 2019 – when the final result will be declared.

Maharashtra’s first woman Election Commissioner Neela Satyanarayan said, “The Chief Election Commissioner must take action against erring political parties. He must ask the Chief Electoral Officer and Collector to prevent these activities. If political parties are promoting themselves through these manners then what is the use of the Model Code of Conduct. Notices are sent to political parties and even their registration can be cancelled and leaders can be disqualified.”

The Model Code of Conduct briefs many guidelines among which the most important are – there shall not be any appeal to the caste or communal feelings for securing votes. Mosques, Churches, Temples and other religious places shall not be used as a forum for the election propaganda. Candidates shall avoid themselves from criticising other political parties, their past records and works as well as all aspects of their private life and workers based on unverified allegations or distortion. Ministers and other authorities shall not sanction grants / payments out of discretionary funds from the time elections are announced by the Commission; Ministers and other authorities shall not announce any financial grants in any form or promises thereof or (except civil servants) lay foundation stones etc. of projects or schemes of any kind; or make any promise of construction of roads, provision of drinking water facilities, etc. or make any ad-hoc appointments in Government, Public Undertakings etc. which may have the effect of influencing the voters in favour of the party in power.

Gandhi Sarvodaya Mandal President Jayant Dewan said, “Politicians must first understand that the funds used for development belong to the public. I don’t know why politicians are involved in self-promotion by putting their party’s photographs on ambulance, lavatory, and dustbins. Since the Lok Sabha polls are just around the corner, hence, the Model Code of Conduct is in force and they should stop such activities.”

Whereas the ground reality seems to be totally different as reports stated, political parties are promoting their agenda through various public mean. Name of politicians and their party is written on the dustbins, tables and benches of the public parks, sign boards are hanged on trees, ambulances are running on the road and helping the citizens in their medical aid, year calendars of political parties are being distributed in markets, posters, pamphlets, and digital displays are visible on bus stands, and above all, politicians are spreading propaganda openly without bothering about the Model Code of Conduct and the political parties don’t seem to be in a mood to take any action.

National activist Dr. Kumar Saptarshi said, “Those who are in power should not announce any welfare schemes violating the Model Code of Conduct. They must not take benefit of essential services like ambulance. People had voted BJP in power for serving them. Whether election is there or not, the government must not use essential services for promoting themselves. PM Modi had promised to deposit Rs 15 lakh in every Indian citizen’s account. People should protest against leaders making false promises.”

PM Modi should focus on work than wasting time on comparison

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Vaidehi Taman

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March 28, 2019

Every government does advertise its schemes and achievements. I suppose they must be having budgets set aside for advertising too. However, the fact is that these days, the political parties are not willing to spare ambulances and public toilets as a publicity tool for their candidate and respective political parties. We all know that neither covering an ambulance van nor the walls of the public toilets is possible. These political parties, during their tenure, invest in such crucial pockets to make the best use of them during the election protocol. It does seem that the money could have been put to better use but then, the fact is that everything is important in some way and a lot of seemingly frivolous government expenditure actually helps in keeping the economy going. Government expenditure has to be spread out across the sectors. The money spent on advertisements and publicity helps in providing liquidity to the media sectors as well as allows the government to reach out to the voters. Any government expenditure in India is money being put back into the economy, which generates employment and also further income for the government in the form of taxes. It doesn’t seem appropriate to spend public funds with the intention of popularising itself but every government has done it and will keep doing it. The ruling government is always alleged of spending inappropriate funds on its own PM’s and party’s publicity. Let’s have a fair look at some important points and make self-examination of five years of Modi Sarkar.

During these years, the Modi government spent a lot of money on publicising their agendas but had no control over his ministers. From giving illogical, offensive statements to killing witnesses — in all these occurrences, PM Modi was a mute spectator. Big promises of giving a huge chunk of Rs 15 lakhs to every Indian (indirect benefits of the same amount), bringing back all the black money, etc. were the main promises given by Narendra Modi to win the position. However, now the party members simply call them as jumlas. Demonetisation should have been the second step. In the first step, the government should catch the known defaulters like Lalu Yadav, Sharad Pawar, Shibu Soren, etc. and others who fled from India. They already knew many politicians, bureaucrats who hold billions of black money. They must be the first targets and if handled properly, then demonetisation can be postponed and implemented with proper planning and correct implementation. However, the government chose to make the common man a sufferer.

They opposed the FDI when implemented by the UPA. It’s impossible for a normal retailer to compete with brands like Amazon, Walmart, etc. It will destroy the traditional markets of our country and bring a monopoly of big brands only.

Allowing Reliance JIO was the biggest favour where the government preferred to be blind. Now, some may argue that Reliance invested a lot on 4G and it’s their initiative. Then, what if tomorrow Microsoft wants to invest the same amount of money for 5G and snatch all the customers of telecom from JIO?

Being a mute spectator in the education field appointments — from the Notorious BHU Chancellor to an incompetent Education Minister — all were only for returning favours. Even when Gajendra Chauhan was appointed and opposed, minister like Subramanian Swamy said to students, “You can leave the institute”. Wasn’t it a height of arrogance and that too when the same Swamy acts as a lawyer for rapist Asaram. Apart from all of these, the Unnecessary expenditure to please people of particular state/caste: Building Statue of Unity, Bullet Trains (it’s a loan and even with low percentage we have to pay it back) were neither necessary nor an hour of need. Anyone can take the law in their own hand whether they are Jats, Gujars, Rajputs, farmers, Babas or SC/STs. State wise and Caste wise politics are a license to people to create chaos. Changing Supreme Court decisions, appointing President on the basis of caste, etc. are some points where PM Modi not only failed big time but also contributed in bringing country backward. Many fake pages are running on social media by promoting lies (both supporting and against the government). It can be tamed down with an agreement with social media barons but BJP IT cell was aggressive than anyone in spreading fake news and PM rather felt comfortable with it. He himself distorted the facts and blatantly spread lies through his election speeches.

Earlier BJP had many commanding leaders in the party, who can uphold the position fearlessly, were brave enough, competent, and intellectual. Now, the entire power is limited to Amit Shah. No one in the party has the courage to go against him, talk anything against him, or oppose him. He is the one who brings more bad practices in politics. He can go to any extent for the power. PM remains either a mute spectator or found supporting him, but he never reinforced a healthy democracy.

Lastly, at times, the PM has always cursed the opposition for his failures too. The Mantra that “they had not done anything in 60 years, we are at least doing something” is again a bad practice. We know that they were failed at points and that’s why BJP has got the chance. So, work instead of wasting time and resources on the comparison. Advertisement, publicity, money spending, propaganda and far more is credited to the Modi government, but still, if we look at the larger picture, we have no political alternative. At least, we have to accept that we don’t see any suitable leader as our PM to counter Narendra Modi. In such circumstances, we remain with no choice. Still, do not get carried away with the adverts, just give your thought why you want to choose a leader that you have already wanted to vote. Vote for the deserving candidate.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@www.afternoonvoice.com)

Modi’s address gross misuse of power and machinery: Mayawati

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Web Team

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March 28, 2019

BSP president Mayawati criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for gross misuse of power and machinery for addressing the nation without seeking prior permission from the Election Commission. She was referring to Modi’s address to the nation on Wednesday announcing India’s successful test of an anti-satellite missile that put the country in an exclusive club of space powers.

“The EC has formed a committee to examine the content of PM’s address yesterday but the real issue is why & how the PM addressed the country without its prior permission. It is the gross misuse of power & machinery for the electoral benefits. EC must act in an exemplary manner,” the BSP leader tweeted.

The EC has formed a committee to examine the content of PM’s address yesterday but the real issue is why & how the PM addressed the country without its prior permission. It is the gross misuse of power & machinery for the electoral benefits. EC must act in an exemplary manner.

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) March 28, 2019

Infosys to acquire 75 pc stake in ABN AMRO Bank subsi for 127.5 mn euros

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Web Team

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March 28, 2019

India’s second largest IT services firm Infosys on Thursday said it will acquire 75 per cent stake in ABN AMRO Bank’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Stater, for 127.5 million euros (about Rs 989 crore).

Both the companies have signed an agreement to this effect.

Founded in 1997, Stater provides end-to-end mortgage administration services in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

As part of the deal, Infosys will acquire 75 per cent of the shareholding in Stater, while ABN AMRO will continue to hold the remaining 25 per cent, Infosys said in a statement.

Infosys said the partnership is in alignment with its strategy to strengthen its mortgage servicing capabilities in Continental Europe.

The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of fiscal 2020, subject to customary closing conditions, it added.

“This transaction strengthens our approach to offer clients digital platforms and industry focused solutions. It brings together our complementary capabilities to enhance the value we offer to our financial services clients,” Infosys President Mohit Joshi said.

The current management team of Stater will continue to steer the company, it added.

“While mortgages are a key product for ABN AMRO, providing administrative mortgage services is not a core activity. That’s why we are very pleased with Infosys as Stater’s new majority shareholder.

“ABN AMRO will keep a strategic interest of 25 per cent and will continue to be an important client to Stater,” Christian Bornfeld, Member of the Executive Board of ABN AMRO, said.

Infosys said mortgage services is a focus area for large corporations in the financial sector, given the importance of the asset on a bank’s balance sheet.

Will give you positive news during Navaratri: Shatrughan Sinha on joining Congress

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Web Team

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March 28, 2019

Interacting with the media, Bollywood actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who has been associated with BJP for about three decades, said that he will join Congress now, as tweeted by the ANI. On being asked ‘when will he join Congress party?’ he said, “Joining will happen soon, we will give you a positive news during Navaratri.”

Earlier chairman for the state Congress election campaign committee Akhilesh Prasad Singh told reporters that “Shatrughan Sinha will join Congress in New Delhi on March 28 at 11.30 am … He will be our candidate from Patna Sahib”.

Although being a two-term BJP Lok Sabha member from Patna Sahib, BJP dropped his name and chose to field Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from the seat for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Answering ‘if he will contest from Patna Sahib?’, Sinha replied, “Whatever might be the situation, the location will be same.”

‘Nyay’ has twin objective, will remonetise what PM demonetised: Rahul Gandhi

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Web Team

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March 28, 2019

Stating how Congress’ anti-poverty programme ‘Nyay’ (Nyuntam Aay Yojana) has disarrayed the PM Modi-led government at centre, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said that the ‘Nyay’ scheme has the twin objectives of giving money to the 20 per cent poorest families in India and remonetising the economy “damaged” by demonetisation.

“The aim of the ‘Nyay’ scheme is two-fold. First is to guarantee a minimum income to the bottom 20 per cent families. The second is to remonetise the economy that has been demonetised by Modiji,” Gandhi said in an exclusive interview with PTI.

Gandhi also said, “What the PM has done over the past five years is to remove all money from the economy with failed policies like demonetisation and a poorly executed Gabbar Singh Tax (GST). Informal sectors have been badly hit.”

“There is another aspect to calling the scheme ‘Nyay’. Why have we chosen to call this scheme ‘Justice’? Because over the last five years, Mr. Narendra Modi has simply snatched from poor and given nothing back,” he was quoted saying.

The Congress President also termed the ‘Nyay’ scheme a “game changer” and a “final assault” on poverty. He said that the scheme is “fiscally perfectly doable and will not be implemented “rashly like demonetisation and GST of the BJP”.

When asked about the apprehensions of some economists that ‘Nyay’, which entails an expenditure of Rs 3.6 lakh crore annually, could aggravate India’s fiscal deficit position, Gandhi declined the claims saying that his party consulted a large number of economists and experts, studied numerous papers and other research material on this subject and run an extensive financial modelling exercise before deciding to include the plan in its Lok Sabha manifesto.

Issues before Mediation Team on Ayodhya

By

R K Sinha

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March 28, 2019

The scope of mediation for the three-member team appointed by the Supreme Court is limited. The mediation team headed by Justice FMI Kalifulla, (retired judge of the Supreme Court), Sri Sri Ravishankar (Art of Living), and Sriram Panchu (Advocate) have to resolve the dispute between the Muslim bodies and the Hindu organisations over construction of the Ram Temple Ram Temple within the stipulated time frame of two months. One thing is certain that the talks would begin from the point that the temple would be built at the same spot where make shift Ram Temple under a canopy stands today in the disputed land measuring 2.77 acres. The temple site can’t and will not change or shifted from its present location.

When I say that the scope of mediation or negotiation with the two parties in dispute is limited I say it because the temple will not shift and that as and when Ram Temple is built it will be at the same site. Now the question is will the other party in the dispute, the Muslims organisastions, would agree to concede this point to the team. The main litigant Iqbal Ansari of the Sunni Waqf Board whose petition is pending for adjudication before the Supreme Court over the title of the 2.77-acre land has welcomed the move to settle the dispute through negotiation. It is possible that Ansari may concede the disputed land to Nirmohi Akhara, the other claimant to the disputed land to facilitate the construction of the Ram Temple. It is also possible that other Muslim bodies particularly the All India Muslim Personal Law Board which has been the main spirit behind the opposition to the construction of Ram Temple at the site where once Babri Masjid stood may fall in line.

Once the Muslim bodies agree to forego claim over the land, the major hurdle to the settlement of the Temple dispute will be crossed. What next?

The real problem before the Mediation Team will be to face the demand of the Muslim bodies on the construction of a new Mosque in whatever name. Construction of the new Mosque is not a problem at all as per se but the problem lies in the selection of the site for building a new Mosque. The Muslims would like to place first demand that the new mosque should be in Ayodhya and that too in the vicinity of the Ram Temple. At the initial stage of negotiation it is possible again to find some radical elements and some leaders of the Muslim community to insist for a mosque in the vicinity of the Temple citing the example of the Gyanvapi Masjid in Varanasi that stands by the side of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and in Mathura the site of the Shahi Idgah that is next to Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple. But this demand is set to be rejected by the Hindu leaders involved in the talks.

At best, the mediation team with the consent of the Hindu bodies may offer some site in Ayodhya some distance away from the Ram Temple and this too again depends on the Hindu leaders agreeing to this proposal. There are leaders who want that the new Mosque should be built outside Ayodhya. Here again, the Muslim leaders are unlikely to agree to this proposal. What is the way out?

The solution lies in both the parties in dispute adopt a ‘give and take’ approach to settle the dispute. Once a site for the mosque is agreed upon by both the parties in dispute then the initiative has to come from Hindu leaders to offer assistance in the building of the mosque. There will be no problem of allocating land by the government for construction of the new mosque. The Muslim leaders may ask for a bigger chunk of land given the fact that the Ram Temple building plan is of grand scale in the large area. The Temple will be built with great architecture and art to make the place not only a place of worship but also to attract tourists from India and abroad.

One should not at the same time look over-optimistic that the appointment of the Mediation Team itself will bring an end to the dispute in Ayodhya and that everything will be resolved amicably within the stipulated period of two month time. There are elements that might make every attempt to frustrate the sincere attempt of the team to resolve the dispute. If the team fails in its assignment, the matter will be back to square one. The Supreme Court will have to start its judicial responsibility by resuming the hearing the case to decide the claim of the disputed land of 2.77 acres in the title suit case.

The statement of the RSS in this regard is important. The RSS said, “The judgment on the dispute must be expedited: We are experiencing that Hindus are constantly being neglected. While having full respect in the judicial system we would like to say emphatically that the Judgment on the dispute must expedite and remove the obstacles in constructing a grand Temple.”

(The writer is a Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of AFTERNOON VOICE and AFTERNOON VOICE does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.