The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is today holding a crucial meet in Delhi of top saints to mount pressure on the BJP-led central government for early construction of a grand Ram Mandir at the disputed site in Ayodhya. The meeting is being attended by around 40 saints who have arrived here from Ayodhya. They will deliberate on the future course of action that needs to be taken in the prevailing situation to take forward the agenda for the construction of a Ram temple. The meeting is being presided over by the Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the acting chief of Ram Janmabhoomi. VHP working president Alok Kumar is also attending the meeting.
Speaking to FinancialExpress.com, VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal said that the the Ram Temple is the only agenda at today’s meet. He said that saints will discuss the options for the construction of Ram temple in the prevailing situation.
“The only agenda is Ram Mandir. Whatever saints decide today, we (VHP) will follow. Discussions regarding the options to fulfil the agenda of Ram temple in the prevailing situation will come up,” Bansal said.
According to him, the VHP is also open to a campaign to garner support in favour of an early construction of the temple. He said that the Supreme Court’s latest order and a proposal to urge the government to take the Parliament route for the construction of the temple will be discussed.
“There are 2-3 options available, first is the hearing in the Supreme Court and second is the Parliament route. All these issues will be discussed and whatever saints decide, the VHP will follow it,” he said.
When Bansal was asked whether the dates for kar seva will also be announced today, he replied, “This is for the saints to decide. They may take a decision in this regard… that’s completely on their part. But I can assure that whatever decision comes today, the VHP will abide by it.”
The meeting comes days after the Supreme Court refused to revisit a 1994 order that mosque was not integral to Islam and ruled that it will begin day-to-day hearing in the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case from October 29. The court in its order had clearly said that the 1994 order will have no bearing on the hearing in the Ayodhya case and that it will treat it as a title dispute.
The Allahabad High Court had in 2010 favoured a three-way bifurcation of the disputed 2.77 acres of the land with two portions going to the Hindus and one to Muslims.