Rejecting the proposal for talks to resolve Ayodhya dispute, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Maulana Syed Ahmed Bukhari on Friday favoured a ban on any Muslim individual or organisation from negotiating on the issue. "We cannot talk with those who were themselves responsible for bringing down the Babri Masjid," Bukhari said addressing the Friday prayer congregation at the masjid premises in the Walled City. "Any parleys with criminals responsible for bringing down the Babri structure was not acceptable to Muslims at any cost as any such eventuality would amount to giving recognition to the culprits," he said.
Lambasting Sangh Parivar organisations VHP, Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena, Shahi Imam did not spare Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee saying that the premier's recent statement saying temple construction was a national aspiration only exposed Vajpayee as the leader of a Hindu Rashtra as envisioned by funadamentalists. "Mulk ke dushman aur musalman ke dushman se koi bat chit? nahi ho sakti (there can't be any talks with the enemy of the? Muslims and the country)," he said in a hard hitting speech. The Imam also cautioned any Muslim organisation from taking initiative for talks cautioning, "We will boycott such organisation and I will ensure that Muslims do everything to stop such negotiations. Bureau Report