Bharatiya Janata Party National General Secretary Ram Madhav on Saturday said the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Hindu religious leaders want an ordinance for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, ANI reported.
Responding to theRSS General Secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi’s statement that the Sangh Parivar would not hesitate to launch an agitation for the temple, like in 1992, Madhav said: “I cannot say anything about that, but yes, there is a strong demand from the Sangh and saints who are spearheading the movement for the ordinance route. The Sangh has only articulated its sentiments. Nobody wants any kind of unnecessary confrontation.”
Madhav said the government can pass an ordinance on the matter. “We hoped that the hearing in the Supreme Court would culminate soon, but that does not seem to be happening,” he said. “Unfortunately, history is repeating now. It was the same delaying on the part of the judicial establishment in 1992 which led to the unfortunate circumstances [the destruction of the Babri Masjid. I am not saying that any such thing should repeat, but there are a lot of expectations and hope.”
Madhav claimed that the BJP has never considered the construction of the temple a political matter, News18 reported. “It is the responsibility of all institutions, including the judiciary, [to ensure] that this issue does not become a political issue,” he added.
Hindutva leader Prachi told the Akhil Bhartiya Sant Samiti at an event at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday that the temple will be built with much fanfare. “We will lay its foundation on December 6,” ANI quoted her as saying. “Call the Hindus of Hindustan to Ayodhya and announce the construction of a Ram temple. There is no need of anything else.”
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan wondered why the Sangh Parivar was waiting for an ordinance to build the temple. “Did they stop before demolishing the mosque even though there were several orders?” he asked. “Then what are they waiting for now?” Khan claimed that the RSS will soon issue an “advisory” to the Supreme Court, ordering it to deliver a verdict in favour of building the temple.
“Why did not they get this thought before, why just four months before elections?” he added. “Why did they not get this idea while they were planning for [Vallabhbhai] Patel’s statue?”
The Supreme Court on October 29 adjourned the Ayodhya land dispute case to January. The court is hearing a batch of petitions challenging a 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict that ordered a three-way division of the land on which the Babri Masjid stood before Hindutva activists demolished it on December 6, 1992. The land was divided equally between the Nirmohi Akhara, the Sunni Wakf Board and the representative for the deity, Ram Lalla.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!