Srinagar, June 13: The Shankaracharya of Puri today demanded a legislation to ban organisations which "vitiate" the atmosphere and spread "communal hatred" in the country and said he stood by a joint declaration signed by him and Muslim leaders last year which said the verdict of the Supreme Court on Ayodhya would be binding on Hindus and Muslims. "If the court verdict goes in favour of constructing the mosque at the disputed land, I, along with Hindus, will construct the mosque while they (Muslims) will construct a temple in the adjacent land," the Shankaracharya said here.
"Similarly, if the court verdict is in favour of constructing a temple on the disputed land, Muslims will construct the temple while Hindus will construct a mosque at the adjacent land," he added. The Seer asked political leaders to desist from using religion as an electoral weapon saying unnecessary confusion was being created on the Ayodhya issue.
He said he was schedule to meet Muslims leaders again in the first week of July. "I am a religious man and have no intention to enter politics. Those sadhus whom the government grooms as Hindu religious leaders should either join politics and adorn khadi or give up the saffron robes," he said.
The Seer, who arrived here yesterday, paid obeisance at Shankaracharya Temple today.
He said he was organising a week-long 'mahayagya' in Rajouri from Sunday for "return of peace" to Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the world in which 108 religious leaders from across the country would participate. Bureau Report