As India's most influential Islamic leaders gathered in Deoband, Home Minister P Chidambaram addressed them, striking his usual firm note: "The demolition of the Babri Masjid was a manifestation of religious fanaticism and an act of extreme prejudice. Likewise, taking to the path of violence in the name of religion must also be deplored in unequivocal terms."

Few would disagree at this annual conference of the Jamat-e-Ulema-Hind in Uttar Pradesh, often described as the most moderate and progressive of Muslim groups.

Last year, the Jamat was the first to start a campaign against terrorism and even had the Darul-uloom seminary issue fatwas against terrorism.

Another new initiative undertaken on Tuesday as the conference welcomed its first non-Muslim spiritual speaker, popular yoga guru, Ramdev. Demonstrating his famous breathing moves, Baba Ramdev spoke of more worldly concerns, "If you are putting on weight this will reduce it."

Thousands of clerics cheered, but in New Delhi, the BJP's reaction was noisy for a different reason. They picked on the Jamaat resolution against the singing of Vande Mataram by Muslims, claiming some of its lines were un-Islamic. "A more serious issue ...is the fact that to give legitimacy to such a function, the Home Minister of the country, Mr Chidamabram is present there today," said Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi of the BJP.