VHP sees Ayodhya case judgement by year-end

New Delhi, June 27 (UNI) The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) today said it foresaw a favourable judgement in the Ayodhya case by the year-end.

''Our long struggle seems to be reaching its last stop,'' VHP Joint Organising General Secretary incharge of the organisation's temple construction programme in Ayodhya Champat Rai told reporters.

He argued that the report of the Archaeological Survey of India as well as a stone inscription found from the Babri mosque demolition site supported the VHP's claim to a grand temple predating the mosque there.

''There is nothing more left to discover. We expect a judgement by this year-end itself,'' he said. Nearly 50 per cent of carved stones for the proposed temple in Ayodhya had already reached the temple town, he added.

He made it clear that the VHP expected only a favourable judgement. ''The struggle for cultural independence of Hindus will be won,'' he said.

Asked whether the VHP would accept a negative court verdict, senior VHP leader Giriraj Kishore, who was also present, shot back: ''This is no point''. To further questions, he repeated the old slogan ''Mandir wahin banayenge''.

The VHP would discuss the issue at its central organising committee meeting on July 8 and 9 at Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.

A host of other issues, including the recent spiral in prices of essential commodities, the issue of artificial shivling at Amarnath temple and the Vatican's ''interference'' in India's internal affairs would be on the agenda, Acharya Kishore said.

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