A Janata Dal (United) leader on Friday said the party would be against an ordinance facilitating the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya if it is moved by the Bharatiya Janata Party during the Parliament’s Winter Session, PTI reported. The Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) is in alliance with the BJP in Bihar.
JD(U) National General Secretary Ram Chandra Prasad Singh said the party will stick to its earlier stand that the issue of Ram temple be solved by mutual consent between the affected communities or be decided by a court of law.
“Since the Samata Party days, we have been in favour of a resolution of the dispute by mutual consent or through a court order,” Singh told reporters in Patna. “We brook no third alternative.”
Singh, who is the JD(U) leader in Rajya Sabha, said there should be no confusion with regard to the party’s stand on the Ram temple matter. “If an ordinance is promulgated to facilitate construction of the temple, our party will not support it,” he said.
The party’s newly-appointed vice-president Prashant Kishor had earlier also expressed disapproval over the Ram temple issue. Kishor had pointed out that Narendra Modi had won the 2014 Lok Sabha elections without resorting to such an emotive issue.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and several Hindu religious leaders have asked the government to pass an ordinance for the construction of the temple. RSS General Secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi earlier said the Sangh Parivar will not hesitate to launch an agitation for the temple, like it did in 1992.
A day before the start of the Winter Session, the Shiv Sena on December 10 said it will not allow Parliament to function if the government does not introduce such a bill.
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!