Rabri Devi dares BJP to construct Ram temple

PATNA: RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s wife and former Bihar CM Rabri Devi has dared the BJP to construct the Ram temple at Ayodhya if it has the guts to do it without the Supreme Court’s order.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Bihar legislative council proceedings on Monday, Rabri said: “Nobody has stopped the BJP from constructing the temple. People all over the country are extending support to it. But does the BJP have the guts do it?”

She said the matter was sub judice. “If the BJP wants to construct the temple by ignoring the Supreme Court which is in the process of hearing the matter, it can go ahead,” Rabri said and added the temple issue was for the BJP only an electoral plank which it rakes up whenever the election approaches.

Rabri also came down heavily on the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state on the issue of law and order. “Women are being raped and looted; even small girls are not being spared,” she said.

Former Bihar CM and HAM (S) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi echoed Rabri. “Mandir-masjid is not an issue. In fact, the BJP does not want to construct the temple so that it could continue doing politics over it,” Manjhi said and added the temple should be constructed with everyone’s consent.

BJP’s Bankipore MLA Nitin Navin, however, said a Ram Mandir at Ayodhya had the sentiments of lakhs of Hindus attached with it. “The demand is old. We hope the judiciary will understand the urgency and pave the way for construction of the temple,”

Rabri had on November 24 tweeted, “Looking at the prevailing condition, I request the President to deploy the Army at Ayodhya.”