RSS has higher expectations of Centre on Ayodhya Ram temple

The rank and file of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ideological fount, is unhappy with efforts by the latter in terms of a legislation that will enable the building of a temple at the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi site, senior functionaries of the organisation said on condition of anonymity. Thus far, BJP MP from the Rajya Sabha Rakesh Sinha has said he will move a private member’s bill on the temple; a few ministers not connected with the issue have commented on the possibility of a law or the need for one, and top government functionaries addressing a background briefing last week emphasised the fact that the government has the power to bring about a law to the effect.

According to the RSS functionaries, at several meetings after the Supreme Court decided to defer the hearing of the Ram Janmabhoomi case to January, the organisation’s cadre pushed their top leadership to take up the matter with the government, saying the decision could not be left to the top court.

“There was unanimity on the need to move the issue from the domain of the judiciary to a parliamentary forum. The cadre relayed to the top brass that the government’s ambiguity on the issue and waiting for the court decision would prove counterproductive for the Sangh and the BJP,” said a senior RSS functionary.

NEWDELHI: