Chennai, Oct 19: In a significant development, the Centre today said it was making efforts to hold talks between Hindu and Muslim leaders for an amicable settlement to the vexed Ayodhya imbroglio and expressed hope that the issue would be resolved within a year. "We are ready to resolve the issue by holding negotiations with both the Muslim and Hindu leaders and we are trying our best to arrange for talks with the leaders of both the communities," Union Minister of State for Home Swami Chinmayanand told reporters here on the sidelines of a function, organised by the VHP to distribute prizes to students.

Though the Centre had been backing peace moves including the Kanchi Shankaracharya's initiative, it is for the first time it has openly acknowledged making efforts in the direction. Chinmayanand, the Centre's pointsman on Ayodhya, said the recent ASI findings on the existence of a temple at the place where Babri Masjid once stood went to prove what the Hindu community had all along been claiming.

He said if both the Muslim and Hindu communities respected each others' beliefs, the Ayodhya issue can be solved amicably and the people could live in communal harmony.

The minister expressed happiness that VHP's 'Sankalp Sabha' at Karsevakpuram in Ayodhya passed off peacefully as Ram bhakts were allowed to perform their poojas. Bureau Report