PATNA: On November 9, 1989, the BJP’s Dalit leader Kameshwar Chaupal had laid the first ‘Ram sila’ (brick) at Ayodhya as part of the legion of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) volunteers gathered there for it. And, 31 years later on Wednesday, he said no one could fathom the ‘aanand’ (bliss) that he was feeling now that the temple dedicated to ‘Ram lalla’ would come up. The Centre on Wednesday formed a board of trustees for its construction, as asked by the Supreme Court.
Chaupal has also been made a member of the 15-member Trust constituted by the Centre on Wednesday to oversee the construction of Ram temple on 67 acre land at Ayodhya. The names of eight members have been disclosed so far.
“My appeal to all sections of society, whatever their religion, community and creed, is that they all should come forward and lend their support to building the temple. It would be a magnificent temple. It would also express the spirit of the country that is rooted in social harmony and well-being of all,” Chaupal said.
“If Mahatma Gandhi were alive, even he would have expressed the same feeling. He talked about ‘Ram raj’. Only after the temple dedicated to Lord Ram comes up, can there be any talk of ‘Ram raj’,” he added.
Chaupal, who belongs to Supaul district in north Bihar bordering Nepal, has been in Delhi for the last some weeks to campaign for the BJP-led NDA candidates in the assembly election to be held on February 8. At the time of reporting in the evening, none of the BJP bigwigs had personally informed him about his inclusion in the 15-member board of trustees.
“Around seven media persons came to me to have my take on the occasion,” Chaupal said, adding: “I am a widower. My two daughters and one son did call me on my phone. They are very happy at the inclusion of my name in the panel of trustees. Now I am free to work further for the cause of temple and ‘Prabhu Ram’. My children are all married and well settled.”
He was made to quit the VHP and become a member of the BJP in 1991, because the party fielded him to contest the parliamentary election that year which he lost. He lost the election second time in 2014. However, he remained the Rajya Sabha member for two terms – from 2002 to 2014.
The Dalit leader had become a member of the VHP in 1982. He was made its state incharge with headquarters at Gaya in 1989. “It was from Gaya that we volunteers had carried ‘Ram silas’ to Ayodhya,” Chaupal said, adding bricks were taken from every village and each person who gave the brick also gave Rs1.25 as ‘dakshina’ (offering).
Chaupal has also been made a member of the 15-member Trust constituted by the Centre on Wednesday to oversee the construction of Ram temple on 67 acre land at Ayodhya. The names of eight members have been disclosed so far.
“My appeal to all sections of society, whatever their religion, community and creed, is that they all should come forward and lend their support to building the temple. It would be a magnificent temple. It would also express the spirit of the country that is rooted in social harmony and well-being of all,” Chaupal said.
“If Mahatma Gandhi were alive, even he would have expressed the same feeling. He talked about ‘Ram raj’. Only after the temple dedicated to Lord Ram comes up, can there be any talk of ‘Ram raj’,” he added.
Chaupal, who belongs to Supaul district in north Bihar bordering Nepal, has been in Delhi for the last some weeks to campaign for the BJP-led NDA candidates in the assembly election to be held on February 8. At the time of reporting in the evening, none of the BJP bigwigs had personally informed him about his inclusion in the 15-member board of trustees.
“Around seven media persons came to me to have my take on the occasion,” Chaupal said, adding: “I am a widower. My two daughters and one son did call me on my phone. They are very happy at the inclusion of my name in the panel of trustees. Now I am free to work further for the cause of temple and ‘Prabhu Ram’. My children are all married and well settled.”
He was made to quit the VHP and become a member of the BJP in 1991, because the party fielded him to contest the parliamentary election that year which he lost. He lost the election second time in 2014. However, he remained the Rajya Sabha member for two terms – from 2002 to 2014.
The Dalit leader had become a member of the VHP in 1982. He was made its state incharge with headquarters at Gaya in 1989. “It was from Gaya that we volunteers had carried ‘Ram silas’ to Ayodhya,” Chaupal said, adding bricks were taken from every village and each person who gave the brick also gave Rs1.25 as ‘dakshina’ (offering).
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