Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders Ashok Singhal and Pravin Togadia on Sunday said they had 'absolutely no hope' on the outcome of meeting of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board at Lucknow to consider the Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati's formula to solve the Ayodhya issue.
"Zafaryab Jilani (AIMPLB member and All India Babri Masjid Action Committee Convenor) has already rejected the seer's proposal. So we have absolutely no hope on the outcome of the Lucknow meet," Singhal said on the sidelines of the RSS national executive meet in Kanyakumari.
Asked about the Shankaracharya's view that there was no need for a new mosque in Ayodhya, he said, "We also stand by it."
Asked about the chances of the Muslims agreeing not to build a mosque within the Panchkoshi Parikrama, Singhal shot back, "It cannot even be allowed at the Choudah Koshi."
"They have some 23 mosques there and many of them are not being used for prayers. So it is not a question of constructing a mosque within the Panchakoshi Parikrama," he said.
"It is the last opportunity for the Muslims to earn the goodwill of the Hindu community," he said.
"If they do not concede to this demand they will lose many things, not just these three places -- Kashi, Mathura and Ayodhya," he said.
Asked whether the present stridency on Ayodhya issue was in view of the general elections scheduled next year, Togadia said, "VHP is not bothered about elections as its is not a political party. But every citizen has a role in the election."
Togadia, however, said a better mandate was required for getting a legislation on Ayodhya enacted.
"Nobody can stop us from declaring India a Hindu Rashtra," he said.
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