VHP, Ayodhya saints, priests condemn Nepal PM Oli's statement on Ayodhya; claim he’s under pressure

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, July 14

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Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s claim that “real” Ayodhya was in his country and not India and that Lord Ram was born in Thori there has stoked a major controversy with Sangh affiliates rejecting it. According to the Vishwa Hindu  Parishad, the embattled Oli appears to have made the statement under the pressure of a foreign power. “It is an unsuccessful attempt to break the unbreakable ties between religious Hindu communities of both the countries,” VHP working  president Alok Kumar said

“Ayodhya is the only birth place of Shri Ram. Shri Ram baarat proceeds to Janakpuri from Ayodhya every year. It’s impossible to misguide on the issue,” he said.

“Hindu scriptures, janshruti, customs, traditions and history don’t have different views about the Ram Janmbhoomi. Bhagwaan Ram and Bhagwaan Pashupati Nath are the bounding force of Indo-Nepal religious, cultural and spiritual relations. His statement cannot be relied upon by anybody except himself,” the VHP working president said.

Several Ayodhya priests and mahants also lashed out at Oli, condemning his statement.

Member of Ram Temple Trust Mahant Dinendra Das said: “Lord Ram was born in Ayodhya near Sarayu River. In politics, a person can say anything”.

President of Rama Dal Trust Kalki Ram Das Maharaj also condemned the comment.

“They used to be a Hindu Rashtra (nation) but now they are working on the behalf of China and Pakistan,” he was quoted as saying.

Also condemning Oli, BJP spokesperson Bizay Sonkar Shastri said Left parties in India have always played with people’s faith and Communists in Nepal will be rejected by masses in the same way they have been here.

“Lord Ram is a matter of faith for us and people will not allow anybody, be it Prime Minister of Nepal or anyone, to play with this,” he said, responding to the statement by Oli at an event to mark the birth anniversary of Nepalese poet Bhanubhakta in Kathmandu

Oli said that Nepal had “become a victim of cultural encroachment and its history has been manipulated”

“Although the real Ayodhya lies at Thori in the west of Birgunj, India has claimed the Indian site as the birthplace of Lord Ram,” he was quoted as saying.

“We also believe that deity Sita got married to Prince Ram of India. Actually, Ayodhya is a village lying west of Birgunj,” he said, adding that the marriage between the bride and the groom at such a distance was not possible at the time when there was no communication and transportation system.

“The place called Thori, near Birgunj is the real Ayodhya, where Lord Ram was born. In India there is great dispute on Ayodhya. But, there is no dispute in our Ayodhya,” Oli was quoted as saying

“Valmiki Ashram is also in Nepal and the holy place where King Dasharath executed rites to get the son is in Ridi, which is in Nepal,” he said.

As Dasharath was the ruler of Nepal, it is natural that his son Ram was also born in Nepal, Oli argued.

Therefore, real Ayodhya lies in Nepal, he said.

Many scientific inventions and knowledge originated in Nepal, but unfortunately such a rich tradition could not continue later, he added according to reports.

Oli is under growing pressure to resign amidst a rift in the ruling Nepal Communist Party over his style of functioning

He has also alleged that some of the ruling party leaders are aligning with the southern neighbour to remove him from power after his government issued a new political map incorporating three Indian territories of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura.