Not on Ram Temple trust, UP seer sulks

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, February 7

Mahant Kanhaiya Prabhunand Giri, the first Dalit seer to be made Mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhara in six centuries, is upset over not being included in the newly formed Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

The 32-year-old seer, who broke centuries old caste taboo by taking a historic dip at Sangam during the Mahakumbh last year, said his high post was a ‘mere formality’ as the government had ignored including a Dalit in the trust. “I should have ideally been consulted and made a part of the trust,” he said.

Referring to the inclusion of Kameshwar Chaupal, a Dalit in the trust, former UP CM Kalyan Singh on Friday said : “Not just Dalits, backwards too should get representation in the Ram Mandir trust as they are as staunch Ram bhakts as the former.”

The BJP leader said, “I want to congratulate Narendra Modi and Amit Shah for their commendable work. My wish to see a grand temple in Ayodhya in this lifetime may now be fulfilled.”

Recalling the Ram Mandir movement during his tenure as CM, Kalyan Singh said, “I went to jail for a day and was fined Rs 2,000. I am facing a criminal conspiracy case in the CBI court as of now. If I am proven guilty, I will be punished else I will be acquitted.”

A section of saints and seers, including the chief priest of makeshift Ram Temple, Acharya Satyendra Das, had demanded inclusion of Kalyan Singh in the trust for appreciating his role in the temple movement. Kalyan Singh was the UP CM when Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992. His government had been dismissed within hours of the demolition and Singh had been put behind bars for a day for contempt of court as he had given an undertaking to the Supreme Court that he would protect the Babri Masjid.

Another OBC leader, BJP’s former Madhya Pradesh CM Uma Bharti has backed Kalyan Singh.

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