New Delhi [India], Nov 5 (ANI): Giving a clarion call to maintain peace and harmony after the verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit by Supreme Court, top RSS functionaries along with BJP leaders reached out to Muslim clerics here on Tuesday at the residence of Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.
While the majority of the clerics, who attended the meeting, came out with the message of peace and harmony, there were some who wanted the peace process to be "bilateral" and "mutual".
A few of the Muslim clerics, scholars and eminent personalities who met the RSS leaders at the residence of Naqvi in the national capital today "suggested" that a joint press conference with Union Home Minister Amit Shah should take place post the verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case.
According to sources present in the meeting, few Muslim scholars advocated a joint meeting with Shah, members of Muslim organisation, RSS sharing a stage before the verdict.
"Joint press conference would boost the confidence of members of both communities and impress upon the fact that leaders too would want their followers to exercise restraint and calm, " informed Shia cleric Maulana Syed Kalbe Jawad Naqvi.
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"There were many suggestions, we would consider all," said Naqvi while responding to the question of the joint presser.
Speaking about the meeting, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, "This meeting is crucial as many influential Muslim intellectuals and clergies participated in it. The agenda is clear. No matter what the verdict would be, peace should prevail and harmony should ensue. The society should not witness strife and tension post the verdict."
Naqvi has been given the charge by RSS and the BJP to initiate a dialogue with leaders of minority community ahead of the verdict in the case.
Naqvi further stated that dialogue was necessary and under no circumstances, harmony should be disturbed. "Jeet ka junooni jashn, aur haar ka hahakaar, hungama should be avoided," he said.
While the clerics, scholars, RSS functionaries and BJP leaders impressed upon the need for harmony post the verdict, there was another concern about fake news and posts on social media.
"The important concern was how to contain the damage that could be done via social media. All the fake posts and messages circulating could flare up tensions. We, however, on our part would appeal to all to not trust these messages, " said Tariq Mansoor, vice-chancellor, Aligarh Muslim University. He has also made an appeal to the university administration.
Ameen Pathan, chairman Ajmer Dargah Committee, too expressed concern over social media.
Muzaffar Ali, a film critic, said that interdependence is the future as the economy can't survive another communal clash and that goes true for the Bollywood as well.
Another participant in the meet was Maulana Kutubuddin Rizvi from Jharkhand who had a different concern.
"We said that maintaining harmony isn't just the responsibility of one community. The effort should come from both sides," he said.
The meeting with Muslim clerics and scholars held at the residence of Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was planned last week after RSS deliberated over an outreach program with community leaders ahead of the verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit by Supreme Court.
Taking lead in organising the meet were RSS leaders Krishna Gopal and Ram Lal.
With decades-old Ayodhya land dispute case verdict about to be delivered by Supreme Court, the BJP is not taking chances as the fear of communal tension looks large.
The BJP has the construction of Ram Temple as one of its main electoral promises over the past several decades. The issue has also been part of its election manifesto. The judgement on the issue is expected soon and the party, along with its ideological parent, the RSS, wants to be prepared with a strategy to deal with any situation arising out of the verdict.
Present at the meeting were Krishna Gopal, joint general secretary RSS, and Ram Lal, former national general secretary (organisation) BJP who held meetings with the Muslim clerics and influential personalities from diverse fields of the minority community.
Shia cleric Maulana Syed Kalbe Jawad Naqvi and India Islamic Cultural Centre president Sirajuddin Qureshi, Justice (retired) Zakiullah Khan and Tariq Mansoor, vice-chancellor Aligarh Muslim University too were present in the meeting.
Among others were Defense expert Qamar Agha and Kamal Farooqui; member of working committee of All Indian Personel Law Board; Maulana Mahmood Madani, general secretary, Jamiat Ulema-e- Hind; professor Furkaan Ahmed, Jamia Milia Islamia.
The Supreme Court is expected to pronounce its judgement in the decades-old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case before November 17 when Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi demits office.
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