Yogi says justice delayed is justice denied, but asks saints to keep calm
LUCKNOW Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday urged Hindu saints, who had voiced displeasure at the Supreme Court’s decision to defer the Ayodhya case till January 2019, to keep 'calm' but said “Timely justice is the best one. Justice delayed at times means injustice.”
Adityanath also said, “All peace loving people desirous of an end to the age-old dispute are hoping for a expeditious solution and such public sentiment needs to be respected. Our government counsel too had made a similar prayer before the SC.”
But he stopped short of joining the saffron chorus pushing the Narendra Modi government to bring a law on Ram temple construction. Asked if bringing such a law would be a good move, Adityanath said, “I think all those solutions that lead to peace and amity are good solutions. Best would be if a solution is found through consensus but there are other options too after that. I think the best possible solution would be adopted.”
Speaking to select media persons at his official residence in Lucknow, Adityanath was asked if he was in favour of an early solution ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
He said, “Yes, I want an early solution to the issue.” However, perhaps aware of his responsibility as the CM, he said, “Ram Janmabhoomi is in UP and, hence, law and order and security are our responsibilities. We will discharge
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our duties well.” A delegation of saints in Ayodhya plans to meet Adityanath and seek an appointment with PM Narendra Modi. Yogi’s appeal to the saints is being viewed as an attempt to keep them in good humour ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
For his part, Sharad Sharma, VHP’s Ayodhya-based spokesman, said, “Yes, the saints are angry . We will definitely seek an audience with the BJP leadership.”
Adityanath seemed to be aware of these sentiments among the seers as he said, “We respect saints. But I will only say that people shouldn’t leave patience in an adversity and (they should) face any challenge resolutely.”
UP BJP spokesman Chandramohan said, “Despite being ideologically inclined to the temple cause, Adityanathji has shown he is a great leader by appealing to the saints to exercise restraint.
This is unlike the Congress which brazenly tweaked the SC judgement in the Shah Bano case for narrow vote bank gains.”
The Congress, however, wondered if the CM’s remarks amounted to contempt.
“I guess we all are shocked at the CM’s remarks. Right through, they have been preempting the SC judgment.
Now, they are also questioning the deferment. And then these leaders claim they have great faith in the judiciary,” said Congress secretary Devendra Pratap Singh.