FWD: New controversies add to Ayodhya excavation

[Guest guest]

jainfriends, "Mahavir" <msanglikar> wrote:

 

New controversies add to excavation

Ayodhya, March 16:

 

 

New controversies are being raised each passing minute as a a special

team of the Archaeological Survey of India carries out an excavation

at the disputed site here to determine whether a temple lies buried

underneath.

 

The Jains and the Buddhists have renewed the demand for their

representatives in the process of excavation being carried out from

March 12 on the directive of the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High

Court.

 

Muslim parties in the dispute have, meanwhile, demanded that the

excavation should not be treated as a 'precedent' and are seriously

contemplating to move court in this regard.

 

Babri Masjid Coordination Committee chairman Syed Shahbuddin declined

to comment on the court order.

 

The excavation should not be made a precedent and should be confined

to the Ayodhya issue only, he said.

 

He might move an application in this regard in the court on March 24,

he informed.

 

He said the excavation being carried out by the ASI should be done

under the supervision of a commission deputed by the court. As ASI

was under the Central government, it could come under pressure from

officials, he said.

 

Such a commission, he said, could have archaeologists and historians

from both the communities.

 

Recently, Sunni Waqf Board had raised the question of the labourers

belonging to a particular community and in a memo given to the ASI

team leader B R Mani said if the issue was not resolved, they would

raise the question in the court on March 24 when the special bench

would hear the Ayodhya case.

 

Jains have, meanwhile, voraciously demanded the inclusion of their

representative at the excavation site.

 

Talking to UNI, manager of the Digambar jain temple Sudhir Jain said

since there were several Jain temples in Ramkot, the area where the

disputed site is located, there were possibilities of archaeological

findings related to the Jain religion.

 

He said Ayodhya was sacred to Jains since five Tirthankaras including

the first Jain Tirthankar Lord Rishabdev, Ajitnath, Abhinandan Nath,

Samitnath and Anantnath had taken birth in Ayodhya.

 

Since there were 400-year Jain temples in the Ramkot area, Jain

representative should be included at the excavation site, he said.

 

Jain said he could not enter the excavation site as he did not

possess a pass. He would raise the issue at the 'Mahamastabhishek'

ceremony on March 26 on the occasion of Lord Rishabhdev's

anniversary.

 

Buddhists too have demanded the inclusion of their representative at

the excavation site.

 

Baudh Parishad spokesman Harishankar Safriwala claimed the existence

of ancient Buddhist viharas in the Ramkot area and said the

unearthing of findings related to Buddhist religion could not be

ruled out.

 

He, therefore, said Buddhists should be allowed access to the

excavation site.

 

Many Hindu organisations including the VHP have, meanwhile, welcomed

the excavation which was carried out today amid tight security.

 

 

 

UNI

--- End forwarded message ---