Ram Janmabhoomi Trust chief: PM taking solid steps for Ram temple
"The time of Lord Ram's stay in a tent is over. PM Modi is taking solid steps for construction of a magnificent temple in Ayodhya soon," Das said.
The NDA government may be silent on the issue, but Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas president Nritya Gopal Das believes Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take a decision on construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya soon.
Indicating that they were looking for a solution to the problem outside the court and the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre was gearing up to make a law through Parliament, Das stressed that the time has come for construction of the Ram temple.
"The time of Lord Ram's stay in a tent is over. PM Modi is taking solid steps for construction of a magnificent temple in Ayodhya soon," Das said. The Nyas, which operates under the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), has already constructed thousands of columns for the temple at Karsevak Puram in Ayodhya. The trust claims that it would fix the columns and construct the temple within a few days of getting permission for it.
Modi's tenure
"We are expecting that even the Opposition parties would support the Modi government in Parliament on this issue. The entire process of construction of Ram temple will be started and completed during Modi's tenure as PM," Das said.
However, a senior BJP leader told MAIL TODAY: "The party does not want to rake up the issue as of now. Ram temple is a sensitive issue. The government is now focusing mainly on the pro-reform agenda and the land Bill."
Meanwhile, the Akhara Parishad, one of the largest organisations of sadhus, has said the issue of Ram temple is close to their heart and they won't let the Union government take any decision unilaterally.
More meetings
"The Akhara Parishad cannot let anything happen at the cost of annoying the Muslim community. This is why we are also in the process of coming out with a formula after discussion with the sadhus and the clerics," said Mahant Narendra Giri, the newly-elected president of the parishad. Giri said he would soon meet Hashim Ansari, the oldest plaintiff in Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, to give final shape to the plan.
According to Akhara Parishad, they would convince the Muslim religious leaders to help the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas in construction of Ram temple at the disputed site. All four Shankaracharyas, along with important Muslim clerics, would participate in 'bhumi pujan' for By Piyush Srivastava in Lucknow the temple. Later, a masjid would also be constructed with the help of Hindu religious leaders.
"We will have a concrete plan by August this year and present it before the sadhus of the country during Nasik Kumbh," Giri said.
When asked, Ansari said, "I am against leaving Ram Lala in a tent. But that doesn't mean that we will allow the government to ignore the Muslim point of view. We had sought audience with Prime Minister Modi to discuss this issue. I welcome Narendra Giri to discuss this issue. I consider Akhara Parishad an important organisation which is capable of taking any decision on religious issue. Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid is a religious issue which is unnecessarily vitiating the atmosphere. I also believe that only a bilateral talk can solve the dispute."
Zafaryab Jilani, additional advocate general of UP and counsel of the Sunni Waqf Board, one of the parties in the case, has already said that they would prefer the Supreme Court to decide the case.