Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday, 3 November, asked his followers in Rajasthan’s Bikaner to light a diya for Lord Ram and said that work for Ram Mandir will start very soon, news agency ANI reported.
Light a diya for Lord Ram this time, work there will start very soon. We have to take this up after Diwali.UP CM Yogi Adityanath
Asking the Congress to clarify its stand on the mater, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Saturday, 3 November that the Ram temple was never a poll issue but a “matter of belief” for the BJP, reported PTI.
“This is an issue (concerning) the country," asserted Javadekar.
BJP is not making Ram temple an election issue, but it is raising a question on the statements of Congress (leaders). Does the party want a temple at the birthplace of lord Ram in Ayodhya or not.Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister
With the Winter Session of the Parliament due in December, members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the its ideological parent body RSS are pushing for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.
BJP MP Rakesh Sinha on Thursday, 1 November, took to Twitter to hint that he will bring up a private member’s bill for the construction of the temple and asked if the Congress, BSP and other Opposition parties will support it.
Sinha also said that the verdict in cases like Section 377 and Sabarimala did not take that long, but the verdict on Ayodhya has been pending for decades.
Chorus Echoing Within BJP-RSS
Reacting to Sinha’s tweets, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said that such a move will show the country the Congress’ true face and the BJP doesn’t need certification from National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah whose “loyalties lie with Pakistan.”
“Rakesh Sinha is such a leader who knows the cultural arrangements across the country. The people will get to see Congress' face, if it favours the temple or opposes it. Rahul Gandhi still doesn't know if he is a Hindu or a non Hindu. He is going from temple to temple to become a Hindu. Then why is he quiet on Ram temple? We don't need a certificate from somebody like Farooq Abdullah whose loyalties are with Pakistan. he eats here and sings there,” said Singh.
The demand for bringing an ordinance for early construction of Ram temple has intensified within the BJP and various Sangh Parivar outfits.
Soon after the Supreme Court said an appropriate bench would decide in January when to hear the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute cases, the chorus grew within the BJP, favouring early construction of the temple in Ayodhya.
RSS spokesperson Arun Kumar said the court should deliver an early verdict and the government should make a law to remove hurdles and give land for the temple if required.
"With this in view, the Supreme Court should make an early decision and if there are any difficulties, the government should make a law to remove all hurdles in the way of giving land for temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi site," Kumar said. The Sangh affiliate VHP was more blunt, saying Hindus cannot wait eternally for judicial verdict as it pushed for a legislation.
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government has full faith in the court and added that a lot of people in the country want the hearing on the issue to be completed soon.
BJP leader Vinay Katiyar alleged the issue was being delayed "under pressure" from the Congress.
"The decision is being delayed under pressure from the Congress. People like Kapil Sibal (Congress leader) and Prashant Bhushan (Supreme Court advocate) are pressing for delaying the issue. Till when will Ram bhakts (devotees) wait? In 2019, the Congress will come to know," he said.
His party colleague Sanjeev Baliyan said, "I am surprised at the priorities of the court. I am of the view that the Ram Temple should be constructed. The government should explore all possibilities."
BJP’s ally Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said the Ram temple is an issue of faith and demanded that the government come out with an ordinance soon.
"It is a matter of faith. The court cannot decide on this. The government should bring an ordinance," he said.
Speaking to India Today, Uma Bharti too called on the Opposition to support the demand for the temple.
"If they tell me Ram Mandir will be built only over my dead body, then so be it," she told India Today.
She called for an out-of-court settlement in the matter, asking political parties to take the lead on behalf of the litigants.
"Rahul Gandhi, Mulayam Singh, Mamata Banerjee, Mayawati, the Left parties will have to support us but they aren't letting the matter settle [...] The Congress will have to leave the habit of dividing the country in the name of religion," Bharti said.
People Will Vote, Not Ram or Allah: Oppn Attacks BJP
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and J&K National Conference (NC) Leader Farooq Abdullah slammed Sinha for hinting towards a bill and said that it is the people who will vote for the BJP and not Ram or Allah.
“They (BJP) think that Lord Ram will win them the 2019 elections. The God will not help them win the elections, it is the people who will vote, neither Lord Ram nor Allah will vote,” he said.
Aparna Yadav, daughter-in-law of Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, said that she trusts the Supreme Court but the temple should be built.
Senior Congress Leader P Chidambaram had said on Monday, 29 October, that it was a familiar story every five years before the elections when the BJP tried to polarise the issue.
"The Congress's stated position is that the matter is before the Supreme Court and everyone should wait until the Supreme Court decides [...] We should not jump the gun," he told reporters.
On allegations by BJP leaders that the delay was due to pressure from Congress leaders, Chidambaram said, “The Supreme Court will decide when to hear the case. We don’t decide when the court will hear the case.”
Congress leader Anand Sharma said, "Everyone should patiently wait for the Supreme Court verdict. The Congress party has stated that it will welcome and accept the Supreme Court verdict."
He said religion is a matter of faith and linking this issue to vote bank politics will be a disservice to the nation.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi too dared the government to bring an ordinance.
"If they have the courage, they should bring an ordinance on Ram temple construction. They are trying to scare us about bringing an ordinance, why don't they bring it," he said.
(With inputs from PTI, ANI and India Today.)
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