The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Tuesday reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the the BJP’s Palampur resolution on Ayodhya in 1989 and its election manifesto for 2014 after the latter in an interview to ANI said that an ordinance to aid the construction of a Ram temple was possible only after the legal process was dealt with.
The RSS and its affiliate, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), have been pushing for an ordinance on the construction of a Ram temple before the conclusion of the case before the Supreme Court which doesn’t appear close to a resolution.
In this situation the RSS, in a series of tweets put out by its joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, termed Mr. Modi’s statement as “constructive” but also hoped that the BJP’s own resolution on temple construction via talks or legal process could be done “within the term of this government.”
“Prime Minister Modi’s statement is constructive and reflects the BJP’s stance in its Palampur resolution of 1989 which states that the party would try for the construction of an ornate Ram Temple in Ayodhya via talks or appropriate legislation. This stance was reflected even in the 2014 manifesto of the party before the polls and people expressed their faith in this and voted the Narendra Modi government in with a majority,” said Mr Hosabele. He added that it “the people of India hoped” that these promises would be fulfilled.
The VHP’s acting president Alok Kumar told The Hindu that the organisation’s top officials would be meeting on Wednesday morning and that he would be addressing a presser in the afternoon.
“We have to formulate a response after seeking views from all,” Mr. Kumar said.
The Ayodhya issue has been pushed aggressively by the RSS and VHP, but with hopes of an early ordinance fading, both will have to ponder the next step.