Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur)

Congress should clarify stand on Ram temple: UP deputy CM

- HT Correspond­ent htraj@htlive.com

: Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma has said the Congress party needs to come clear and clarify its stand on “whether it wanted a Ram Mandir or a Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.”

He was talking to reporters during his visit to Jaipur on Monday.

“The BJP’s stand is very clear on Ram temple issue. Either, there should be a consensus or we will abide by the verdict of Supreme Court,” he said.

Taking a dig at the Opposition party, Sharma said, “This is not the Congress of Mahatma Gandhi. It has now become Italian. The grand building that Gandhi had built has now turned into a dilapidate­d ruin,” he said.

In reply to a specific query, Sharma claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had never talked about a “Congress Mukt” Bharat but had instead talked about getting rid of the “Congress mindset”.

On party’s loss in the recent bypolls in Uttar Pradesh, Sharma said that it happened because the Opposition had united against the BJP. He also admitted that ruling party “did commit some strategic mistakes”, but it had won local elections that were held before the bypolls.

On party being attacked by Congress president Rahul Gandhi over Dalit issue, Sharma said he was not bothered about Gandhi’s allegation­s. He said BJP has done a lot for Dalits and had won every reserved seat in Uttar Pradesh.

Sharma said the impeachmen­t move against chief justice Deepak Mishra by Congress-led Rajya Sabha MPs was an attempt to intimidate the judiciary. He said BJP will return to power in Rajasthan and denied that factionali­sm is leading to delay in appointmen­t of Rajasthan BJP president.

JAIPUR

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 ?? HT PHOTO ?? Uttar Pradesh deputy CM Dinesh Sharma.
HT PHOTO Uttar Pradesh deputy CM Dinesh Sharma.

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