Government too favours talks to resolve Ayodhya issue: Union Minister

NEW DELHI: Union Minister P P Chaudhary today said the government too favours talks to resolve the Ayodhya dispute after the apex court suggested that such "sensitive" religious issues could be settled through negotiations.

"Government is always ready and encourages mediation. We encourage negotiations and mediations, even pre-litigation mediation and post-litigation mediation," Chaudhary, who is Minister of State for Law and Justice, told reporters in the Parliament premises.

Underlining that the suggestion of Supreme Court is "worth welcoming", he said if such complex matters are solved through negotiations, it ensures peace and better understanding between the parties in the future.

"What mediation can do, cannot be done by judgement. Both the parties are happy in case of mediation but in case of judgement, one party is happy while the other is not," he said.

The Minister also exuded confidence that the long- standing dispute would be resolved through negotiations.

"The matter is in the court. Nothing can be done until the SC gives the verdict. Now SC has said that solve it through negotiation. I feel that it would be solved through negotiation," he said.

Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma termed the Supreme Court's suggestion as a "big initiative" and requested all the parties to "respect the sentiments of the court" and resolve the issue through negotiations.