Sri Sri briefs RSS chief on Ayodhya

Nagpur: Spiritual guru and Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Saturday met Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Dr Mohan Bhagwat and briefed him over the progress of his dialogue with different communities over the Ram Mandir issue. Mr Ravi Shankar met Mr Bhagwat at the RSS premises in Reshimbagh. The media was kept at bay.

Mr Ravi Shankar, who is here for a couple of programmes and been camping for the last two days, has initiated a process of dialogue with top leaders of the Muslim community and those from Ram Mandir-connected bodies and individuals for a consensus decision to start construction of Ram Mandir and an out of court settlement.

 The spiritual guru participated in a three-day ‘antrang yatra’, a spiritual event of the Art of Living amid a grand reception by followers. “I will be meeting Bhagwat and having discussions,” Mr Ravi Shankar had said immediately on his arrival. He also said an amicable solution for the temple tangle was in sight “as most of the stakeholders looked agreeable to resolution through dialogue.”

Implying that he would take it forward with the RSS chief, Mr Ravi Shankar said his talks with Shia leaders evoked positive vibes and he was hopeful the problem could be settled out of court.

Mr Ravi Shankar’s Ayodhya initiative is believed to have got a big push from Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath. However, while Mr Ravi Shankar is trying for an out of court settlement, the saints of Nirmohi Akhada, custodians of the temple, have been cold to his initiative.

Political circles said that the spiritual guru, who is close to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), seems to have taken up the temple tangle more as a political gambit and as a build-up for the 2019 elections when the BJP could be questioned for not doing enough to please the Hindutva brigade.