No possibility of Syria-like situation in India: Shia Waqf Board chairman

Lucknow: Downplaying the possibility of a Syria-like situation in India as highlighted by Art of Living (AoL) founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Shia Central Waqf Board Chairman Wasim Rizvi claimed that secular Hindus and Muslims reside in India.

"There is no possibility of a Syria-like situation in India, as the Hindus and Muslims living here are very secular," he said.

However, Rizvi cautioned that a rift may crop up between the two communities if the matter is not resolved at the earliest possible.

"Currently, there is a difference of opinion between Hindus and Muslims. However, if the Ayodhya land dispute is not solved soon enough, the differences can turn into a rift," he said.

Earlier on Monday, the Art of Living founder in an interview to a leading television channel had said that any delay in resolving the Ram temple issue could result in a Syria-like situation in India.

"If the Ram Mandir issue is not solved, we will have a Syria in India," Ravi Shankar said in his interview.

Read: Ram Temple mediation: Too early to arrive at conclusion, says Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

On a related note, the Ayodhya land dispute is a century-old issue between Hindus and Muslims over a piece of land, which was claimed by the former to be the birthplace of Hindu Lord Ram and thus entitled for the construction of a Ram Temple.

The Babri Masjid built in 1528-29 CE that stood in the same site was demolished by Hindu Karsevaks on December 6, 1992 in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, which caused massive riots across the country.

In October 2017, the spiritual guru had offered to make a fresh start in the dialogue process in connection with the aforementioned dispute, saying that he was willing to talk to the stakeholders to find a middle ground.

Presently, the case is pending before the Supreme Court and will be heard on March 14.