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Fazlur had long chat with Kanchi seer: The Asian Age
New Delhi, Aug 06: Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had a lengthy conversation over the telephone with Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati on July 21 during his visit to India.
New Delhi, Aug 06: Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had a lengthy conversation over the telephone with Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati on July 21 during his visit to India.
The two religious leaders spoke of the need for Hindu-Muslim amity and how both India and Pakistan could help improve relations. Ayodhya was not discussed.
Interestingly, one of the key persons back in action facilitating meetings between the ulema and the sants was former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao’s Ayodhya adviser and astrologer N.K. Sharma. Mr Sharma had been actively involved in arranging meetings between the JUI chief and RSS and Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders and was present at the discussions. He is in close touch with the ulema here, having convened a meeting of 40-odd maulanas as recently as last month on Ayodhya and communal harmony.
Ulema diplomacy, which is now set to take off in a big way after the highly successful visit of Maulana Fazlur Rehman to India, has enrolled many players including a large industrial house, its representatives close to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee like Mr R.K. Mishra, officer on special duty in the PMO Sudheendra Kulkarni, who is also close to the industrial house, and Mr Sharma working behind the scenes to help break the ice between the radical groups of the two countries.
Mr Sharma, when contacted, confirmed to The Asian Age that he had participated in the discussions between the RSS, VHP and Fazlur Rehman. He said the Maulana had spoken at length about his government and party’s commitment to the protection of minorities in Pakistan, giving examples of this. The meeting with the RSS and VHP leaders, Mr Sharma said, was "very productive," with the focus being on ways and means to bridge differences between Hindus and Muslims. Ayodhya was raised but not in detail, with the VHP pointing out that their claim was to three places of worship at Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura. Kashmir was discussed in detail, in keeping with what is now being referred to openly as the "give and take policy." This was first spoken of by deputy prime minister L.K. Advani during his recent visit to Washington. Neither Maulana Fazlur Rehman nor the RSS went into specifics of what in their respective opinion could be given or taken, but they spoke about the need for compromise and an effective settlement of the dispute. The meeting is seen as a major step forward by both radical groups in preparing the ground for a compromise on Kashmir. Till recently the JUI and like-minded groups in Pakistan as well as the RSS had remained stuck to their absolutist positions on Kashmir, which they now appear willing to dilute for a permanent solution.
Mr Sharma was particularly excited about the RSS representation in the Safma delegation to Pakistan, saying that their meetings with the political leaders there will take the entire process based on the "give and take" formula forward. Maulana Fazlur Rehman has been getting a mixed response in the Pakistani media, with one section applauding him for trying to narrow the differences and the other linking the visit to a change in policy at home towards the military government. To give the JUI chief credit, he did not withdraw or modify any of the statements made in Delhi, maintaining that he wanted peace with India and was prepared to accept any solution agreed to by all concerned parties.
The two religious leaders spoke of the need for Hindu-Muslim amity and how both India and Pakistan could help improve relations. Ayodhya was not discussed.
Interestingly, one of the key persons back in action facilitating meetings between the ulema and the sants was former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao’s Ayodhya adviser and astrologer N.K. Sharma. Mr Sharma had been actively involved in arranging meetings between the JUI chief and RSS and Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders and was present at the discussions. He is in close touch with the ulema here, having convened a meeting of 40-odd maulanas as recently as last month on Ayodhya and communal harmony.
Ulema diplomacy, which is now set to take off in a big way after the highly successful visit of Maulana Fazlur Rehman to India, has enrolled many players including a large industrial house, its representatives close to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee like Mr R.K. Mishra, officer on special duty in the PMO Sudheendra Kulkarni, who is also close to the industrial house, and Mr Sharma working behind the scenes to help break the ice between the radical groups of the two countries.
Mr Sharma, when contacted, confirmed to The Asian Age that he had participated in the discussions between the RSS, VHP and Fazlur Rehman. He said the Maulana had spoken at length about his government and party’s commitment to the protection of minorities in Pakistan, giving examples of this. The meeting with the RSS and VHP leaders, Mr Sharma said, was "very productive," with the focus being on ways and means to bridge differences between Hindus and Muslims. Ayodhya was raised but not in detail, with the VHP pointing out that their claim was to three places of worship at Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura. Kashmir was discussed in detail, in keeping with what is now being referred to openly as the "give and take policy." This was first spoken of by deputy prime minister L.K. Advani during his recent visit to Washington. Neither Maulana Fazlur Rehman nor the RSS went into specifics of what in their respective opinion could be given or taken, but they spoke about the need for compromise and an effective settlement of the dispute. The meeting is seen as a major step forward by both radical groups in preparing the ground for a compromise on Kashmir. Till recently the JUI and like-minded groups in Pakistan as well as the RSS had remained stuck to their absolutist positions on Kashmir, which they now appear willing to dilute for a permanent solution.
Mr Sharma was particularly excited about the RSS representation in the Safma delegation to Pakistan, saying that their meetings with the political leaders there will take the entire process based on the "give and take" formula forward. Maulana Fazlur Rehman has been getting a mixed response in the Pakistani media, with one section applauding him for trying to narrow the differences and the other linking the visit to a change in policy at home towards the military government. To give the JUI chief credit, he did not withdraw or modify any of the statements made in Delhi, maintaining that he wanted peace with India and was prepared to accept any solution agreed to by all concerned parties.