Ram temple issue echoes at BJP meet

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 18

In the BJP’s parliamentary party meeting today, the Ram temple echoed with some MPs wanting to know when it would be constructed to which Home Minister Rajnath Singh asked them to be patient.

BJP sources said Lok Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh Ravindra Kushwaha and Hari Narayan Rajbhar raised the issue, drawing support from several others. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief Amit Shah were not present at the meeting.

Right wing organisations, including the Sangh Parivar, have been demanding early construction of the temple, pitching for a law to enable it. Though the BJP agrees with their sentiments, it has so far not come out in support of an enabling legislation. A section within the party, however, believes paving way for construction of a temple at Ayodhya will boost their prospects in coming general elections.

Meanwhile, Singh asserted the opposition has no leader to match Modi’s popularity and asked party MPs to work for the re-election in 2019. “We are far ahead of the Opposition, circumstances are very good for us,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, quoting him.

He said the passage of the triple talaq Bill was a top priority for the government. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad briefed party MPs on the Supreme Court judgment on the Rafale issue and the conviction of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in an anti-Sikh riot case — issues that reverberated in both Houses of Parliament today.

‘For mutual Consent’

"There are three ways for it (Ram temple) — matter is in court, it can be through mutual consent or by any decision in Parliament through 2/3rd majority. But I believe it should happen through mutual consent." Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister