Madhya Pradesh BJP leader: Ram temple will be built irrespective of SC order

The Hindu is now awake, the verdict will go in favour of Hindus… if it does not, we will ensure it does, said Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation Tapan Bhowmik.

In remarks that drew sharp reactions from the Congress, senior BJP leader and chairman of Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation Tapan Bhowmik has said that Ram Temple will be built at Ayodhya even if the outcome of the ongoing case in the Supreme Court is not favourable.“Hindu jag chuka hai, yeh faisla Hinduon ke paksh me hoga… nahi hoga to karvaya jayega, Hindu karvayega. Yeh faisle ke baad Lok Sabha ke andar hamare log baith hai… ve rules banayenge… vidheyek pass karenge, wahin mandir banayenge. Aur samaz lijiye wahan bhi nahi hota to karodo karodo Hindu banayenge (the Hindu is now awake, the verdict will go in favour of Hindus… if it does not, we will ensure it does. Hindus will do so. After this verdict our people sitting in Lok Sabha will make rules, pass Bill to build a temple at the same spot. If that does not happen, crores of Hindus will make that happen),” the veteran leader said at a book launch in Ratlam on Wednesday.

Bhowmik recalled late VHP leader Ashok Singhal’s statement “De do teen, nahi to lenge teen hazar (give us three or we will take 3,000)”, a reference to Kashi and Mathura. He went on to say that the foundation of the temple will be laid by Diwali.

When contacted on Thursday, he told The Indian Express: “I don’t think it is controversial. All I said was if the court order is not favourable, the Lok Sabha will pass a law to enable construction of the temple. If that too does not happen, Hindus will build the temple.”

Congress spokesman K K Mishra said Bhowmik was challenging the Supreme Court by his utterances. He said it proves that the government intends to interfere in the legal process.

“The government and BJP should make it clear if it was his personal stand and sack him immediately,” Mishra said.