Ayodhya dispute: Surrendering not an option for us says Babri Action Committee

We are not against the negotiations as suggested by the Supreme Court, but any claim about Ram Janmabhoomi must be backed with evidence,' says Dr S Q R Ilyas, a member of the Babri Masjid Action Committee. 'We welcome the suggestion made by the Supreme Court to negotiate the matter out of court,' he adds.

He, however, added that if there will be negotiations, then it would be done with a pre-condition that there should be no preconceived notion. 'Both sides should sit with an open mind. Asking us to leave the place and surrender is not an option,' he says.

'Negotiations have been held in the past. However, nothing has come out of it.

Negotiations were held under (former prime ministers) Chandrasekhar, P V Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. No concrete decision came out



of those negotiations,' Ilyas points out.

If the other side points out that the place in question is indeed the Ram Janmabhoomi, then it should be backed with evidence. All claims must be backed by evidence. This would help the negotiations, he further pointed out.

'In 1528, when Babri Masjid was built, no one claimed it. In 1949, some persons took out the Ram idol out of the chabutra (platform) and put it beneath the tomb of the Babri Masjid. It is from here that the claims of Ram Janmabhoomi began,' he explains. 

'I feel that if the other party is adamant, then there is no point in negotiating. If the Chief Justice of India is ready to listen to the evidence regarding this case, then I am sure that the negotiations will be fruitful,' he adds.