New Delhi, Mar 9 (IANS): Activists and political figures across the divide on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to appoint a three-member committee to mediate on the Ayodhya issue, albeit some did it with a bit scepticism in view of the fate of past attempts on mediation.

The apex court on Friday ordered mediation to settle the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid Ayodhya title dispute case by a three-member panel.

The panel will be headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice F.M.I. Kalifulla, with Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and senior advocate Shriram Panchu as its members. The mediation proceedings would be held at Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh and commence in a week.

Reacting to the development, the Congress said it has unequivocally maintained that the decision of the Supreme Court in the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid case should be final and binding on all parties.

"We respect the decision for constituting a mediation panel by the Supreme Court," party's spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, adding that unfortunately, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has politicised a faith-based issue for their own political gains for the last 27 years.

"Since 1992, BJP has kept the issue alive so as to use in every election for political vote garnering and has relegated the Ram Mandir issue to the annals of history post election - to be revived again in the next election. We sincerely hope that people of India are able to see through the duplicity and doublespeak of BJP," Surjewala added.

Welcoming the court's decision, Advocate Niaz Ahmed Farooqui of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind said that the mediation should be given a chance.

"It is good. There must be an attempt to resolve the issue amicably. All the Muslim bodies which are party to the case had given their consent for the talks initiative. The problem should be solved. We are positive about this and we will offer all kind of cooperation in it," Farooqui told IANS.

Navaid Hamid, President of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM), an umbrella body of major Muslim organisations, said he appreciates the apex court's concern for resolving the Ayodhya dispute, and added that the mediation team should be expanded.

"The AIMMM strongly thinks that though all efforts for a negotiated settlement of the dispute have failed in past and there are little chances for it in future too, but still there is no harm if the Supreme Court-monitored mediation team explores ways to resolve the dispute with a clean slate and in a non-partisan manner," he said.

"Keeping the complexity of the issue in mind and the difficulties of making a consensus for resolving the dispute, it is required that as per the mandate of the SC, the mediation committee should co-opt more members in it," he said.

However, Jama Masjid's Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari sounded more sceptical, saying he is not sure that the issue can be resolved through dialogue and insisted that the apex court should reach a decision on its own.

"We think that this issue can only be solved through the court, not by dialogue," Bukhari told IANS.

He said that in the past too, repeated attempts had been made to resolve it through parleys but to no avail, but added that there is no harm in making one more attempt.

He said that "sincere persons from all sects" should be included in the committee and those with "vested interests" should be kept away, though he did not specify who those vested interests are.

"The Muslim parties should not adopt political or emotional approach for reaching a solution. Instead efforts should be made to resolve the matter in the light of the Shariah (Islamic jurisprudence)," Bukhari said.

Senior BJP leader Vinay Katiyar also welcomed the Supreme Court decision but underlined that the panel should "give its decision considering the sentiments of the Hindu community".

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) spokesman Vinod Bansal was sceptical about the outcome of the parleys on the issue, saying past efforts have not yielded any result.

"The past experiences of talks on this issue have not been pleasant. Similar efforts were made during (former Prime Ministers) Rajiv Gandhi's time, V.P. Singh's time and Chandra Shekhar's tenure, too. But the Muslim community has always tried to evade the talks," Bansal said.

He said mediation should not be used as a "delay tactic" by some people.