Sangh affiliates to Modi: Get law on temple or...
AYODHYA HEARING: SC says ‘appropriate Bench’ will fix the hearing date in Jan
The Supreme Court on Monday said the hearing of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute cases would be taken up in the first week of January 2019, leading the Sangh Parivar affiliates to demand the government to either bring an Ordinance or legislation in the Winter Session of Parliament, for early construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya.
“We will fix the date of hearing of the Ayodhya dispute case before the appropriate bench in January,” the Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoiheaded Bench, which also comprised Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, said.
The Sangh Parivar, including Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionaries, took to social media, asking the Modi government to bring in legislation or “pack up its bags”.
They exhorted supporters for a repeat of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement which had culminated in razing the Babri mosque on December 6, 1992, but had also led to communal riots.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) called a twoday ‘Dharam Sansad’, a meeting of seers, on January 31 and February 1, 2019, to discuss the Ram temple issue. This will be held on the sidelines of the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. Lok Sabha polls are likely in April-May.
In an official statement, RSS publicity chief Arun Kumar asked the government to legislate on the issue to hand over the land to Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, or Trust, at the earliest. He said the RSS has in the past supported the Ram Janmabhoomi movement under the leadership of Dharam, and would support it now as well.
The Sangh Parivar upping the ante on the issue comes with five states, including three key north Indian states, scheduled for assembly polls in November and December. There are plans to mark the December 6 anniversary. Rajasthan and Telangana go to polls on December 7.
BJP leader Vinay Katiyar alleged the SC is delaying the decision under pressure from the Congress, while union minister Giriraj Singh said Hindus “were running out of patience”. VHP acting chief Alok Kumar said Hindus cannot wait eternally, and asked the government to bring a law.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram said it was a familiar story every five years before the elections when the BJP tries to polarise the issue. “The Congress's stated position is that the matter is before the Supreme Court and everyone should wait until the Supreme Court decides... We should not jump the gun,” Chidambaram said. BJP's ally Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut demanded that the government comes out with an Ordinance soon.