Ayodhya dispute: Sri Sri Ravishankar meets Adityanath

Art of Living founder and sprititual guru Sri Sri Ravishankar, who has initiated efforts to mediate on the vexed Ram Temple-Babri Mosque issue to arrive at a negotiated settlement, on Wednesday met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow.

Ravishankar is scheduled to visit Ayodhya to meet various parties in the dispute on Thursday.

Although it was described as a "courtesy call", sources said that the two leaders discussed the Ram Temple issue and the spiritual guru apprised Adityanath about his talks with various leaders from both Hindu and Muslim camps.

''We discussed several issues, including the  Swachh Bharat mission, issues concerning the farmers and others," he told reporters later.

On whether the Babri Masjid Action Committee had rejected his proposal, Ravishankar  said that none of the parties had sent him any proposal and so there was no question of rejection.

Ravishankar, who also met senior Muslim clerics, including India Muslim Personal Law Board member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangimahali, Hindu leaders and representatives of the social organisations, said that so far no one had given him any proposal with regard to the Ayodhya issue.

The spiritual  leader will be traveling to Ayodhya on Thursday to meet the Hindu and Muslim parties to the dispute to explore the possibilities of resolving the issue through mutual negotiations.

A representative of Ravishankar said here that the latter would be meeting the concerned parties with an open mind and without any prejudice.