Ram mandir: VHP approaches President Kovind for ordinance

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and its associated sants on Friday met President Ram Nath Kovind to press their demand for an ordinance to be passed by the Centre for the construction of a Ram mandir in Ayodhya.

Simultaneously, a splinter group of temple supporters, led by former VHP president Pravin Togadia, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of “betraying” the cause of Ram lalla by not making any efforts to build the temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi site despite having a majority government both at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh.

“It was in 1989 that the BJP had passed a resolution in their national executive to build a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya whenever they have a majority government at the Centre. Modi was also aboard the Ram

rathyatra that travelled from Somnath to Ayodhya. But, in the four years that he has been heading a majority government at the Centre, he has dragged his feet on the issue of Ram temple. Now that the elections are approaching, he and the BJP’s ideological family have suddenly remembered Ram temple. People will not forgive this betrayal,” said Togadia, who has now formed a separate organisation called Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad.

Togadia has announced a march to Ayodhya on October 21.

Meanwhile, the sants associated with the VHP, led by Nritya Gopal Das, convenor of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, held a meeting here, following which some of the participants met President Kovind to demand an ordinance on the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Addressing a press conference later, a participant in the meeting, Hansdev Acharya, said the President had made certain assurances.

“We met the President and urged him that for the purpose of building a grand temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi, an ordinance should be passed by the Centre without further delay. The President assured us (of help). We gave a memorandum to the President and a similar memorandum will be given by fellow Ram bhakts to the governors in all the States to put pressure on the Prime Minister to bring in this ordinance. We will tell the MPs of all parties to help the sant community in building the temple,” said Hansdev.

VHP’s working president Alok Kumar said both his organisation and the associated religious heads had been hoping for a decision by the Supreme Court on this matter by September but had been disappointed that no favourable decision had been made.

Waiting for SC’s call

“There were signs that we will get a favourable decision by the Supreme Court. The SC Bench was headed by Chief Justice Dipak Mishra. But he, too, has retired and we do not know how long it will take for the Supreme Court to take a decision on this matter. That is why we are approaching the Central government to bring an ordinance on this issue or get a Bill passed in the Winter Session of Parliament,” said Alok Kumar.