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Cong plays down Kanchi Sankaracharya`s remarks against Rao
New Delhi, June 09: Congress today played down the statement of Kanchi Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati that the then prime minister P V Narasimha Rao played a role in the installation of a make-shift temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya and asserted that the party would abide by whatever the decision of the supreme court on the matter.
New Delhi, June 09: Congress today played down the statement of Kanchi Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati that the then prime minister P V Narasimha Rao played a role in the installation of a make-shift temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya and asserted that the party would abide by whatever the decision of the supreme court on the matter.
"We are not going to make any comment on the statement of Kanchi Sankaracharya. All these are his own versions. Congress stand is very clear that it would abide by whatever the decision of the Supreme Court on the issue,” party spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters.
Sharma side-stepped a volley of questions about presence of party chief Sonia Gandhi at a function here yesterday which was also attended by Rao, Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and the Sankaracharya, who has been trying to broker a "mutual" settlement on the Ayodhya issue between Hindus and Muslims.
Asked if the party "consented or approved" the Seer's statement commending Rao's role in the installation of a make-shift temple, he said "neither we consent to nor approve" such statements made by the religious leader, a charge being made against Rao ever since the Babri Masjid was demolished.
About the presence of Gandhi, Sharma said that she accepted the invitation as it was a religious function to felicitate the Sankaracharya on his completion of 50 years as Kanchi Kamakothi Peetham chief.
It was not a function dedicated to Ayodhya. It was a religious function and she was sharing the platform with him alongwith Vajpayee and others and Gandhi expressed her views saying that history could not be changed and mistakes of the past could not create a world of love, he said.
Bureau Report
"We are not going to make any comment on the statement of Kanchi Sankaracharya. All these are his own versions. Congress stand is very clear that it would abide by whatever the decision of the Supreme Court on the issue,” party spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters.
Sharma side-stepped a volley of questions about presence of party chief Sonia Gandhi at a function here yesterday which was also attended by Rao, Prime Minister A B Vajpayee and the Sankaracharya, who has been trying to broker a "mutual" settlement on the Ayodhya issue between Hindus and Muslims.
Asked if the party "consented or approved" the Seer's statement commending Rao's role in the installation of a make-shift temple, he said "neither we consent to nor approve" such statements made by the religious leader, a charge being made against Rao ever since the Babri Masjid was demolished.
About the presence of Gandhi, Sharma said that she accepted the invitation as it was a religious function to felicitate the Sankaracharya on his completion of 50 years as Kanchi Kamakothi Peetham chief.
It was not a function dedicated to Ayodhya. It was a religious function and she was sharing the platform with him alongwith Vajpayee and others and Gandhi expressed her views saying that history could not be changed and mistakes of the past could not create a world of love, he said.
Bureau Report