Strong demand from RSS, seers for ordinance on Ram Temple: Ram Madhav

NEW DELHI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Ram Madhav on Saturday said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and seers community have strongly demanded enactment of an ordinance for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Responding to the statement of RSS general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi that the Sangh will not hesitate, if necessary, to launch a 1992-like agitation for the Ram Temple, Madhav said, "I cannot say anything about it but yes there is a strong demand from the Sangh and the sadhu-saints who are spearheading the movement for the ordinance route. The RSS has only articulated its sentiments. Nobody wants any kind of unnecessary confrontation."

When specifically asked if the central government will bring an ordinance for the construction, Madhav said: "The option of an ordinance is always there. We had hoped that the process of hearing in the Supreme Court will culminate soon but that doesn't seem to be happening. Unfortunately, it's a kind of repeat of history that is happening now. It is the same delaying or dallying on the part of the judicial establishment at that time (1992) which had led to the unfortunate consequences. I am not saying that any such thing should repeat but I am saying that there are lot expectations and hope."

He, however, underlined that it is the responsibility of all institutions including the judiciary to ensure that the Ram Temple issue does not become a political one.

"It is the responsibility of all the institutions including the judiciary to make sure that this issue doesn't become a political issue; as a party we have never looked at the Ayodhya issue as a political issue. We have seen it as a symbol of India's national honour and dignity. So, we look at it with that prism only," he added.

There have been demands from the Hindu right wings and some members of the BJP that an ordinance should be brought to permit the construction of the Ram Temple before the Supreme Court pronounces the judgement in the Ayodhya title suit.

On October 29, the apex court adjourned the hearing of the title suit case until January 2019 when it will decide the date of hearing. The court was hearing petitions challenging the Allahabad high court verdict of 2010, which stated that the disputed land in Ayodhya should be divided into three parts for each party - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.