Digvijaya promises temple on Cong land

BHOPAL: The Congress candidate from Bhopal, Digvijaya Singh, said on Saturday that the party’s Bhopal district unit would give up its claim on the land alongside an ancient Ram temple near the city’s Hamidia Road, so that the temple trust could build a grand shrine of the Hindu deity.

The BJP termed the announcement as an election stunt. The BJP has been at the forefront of a campaign for the construction of a Ram temple on a disputed site in Ayodhya, which certain rightwing Hindu groups say, is Ram’s birthplace.

“The Bhopal district Congress is going to give up its claim on the land as over the years, there has been an increase in the number of followers at the Ram temple. There is space constraint. With this land, the Ram temple trust would be able to construct a grand Ram temple,” said Singh.

Bhopal Congress unit chief Kailash Mishra agreed with Singh, saying, “Digvijaya Singh resolved the issue and we have given up our claim on the land...”

BJP legislator Vishwas Sarang said, “This dispute has been going on for decades. Why this change of heart now? Digvijaya Singh is doing it due to the compulsion of the elections and trying to show that he is a devout Hindu...”

Congress was allotted the land around 2003, but the temple trust has claimed ownership. A court case ensued that the Congress won. “What Digvijaya Singh did today was part of the ongoing softHindutva approach that started from the assembly elections...,” said political analyst LS Hardenia. MP chief electoral officer VL Kantha Rao said, “We have called for the video of Digvijaya Singh’s statement and will examine it.”