Congress veterans in MP sing Ram tune, hail Ayodhya temple construction

BHOPAL: Ahead of 27 Assembly by-polls in Madhya Pradesh, the opposition Congress is singing Ram tune.

While Lord Ram's birthplace Ayodhya is preparing for the August 5 'Bhoomi Pujan' ceremony and visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, two veteran Congress politicians in MP -- Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh -- have welcomed the start of construction of Ram Temple.

"It represents the fulfillment of the long-awaited dream of the people. It has become possible due to the collective agreement of all people in the country. This is possible in India only," Nath had said in a video message on Friday evening.

Just a few hours later, on Saturday Digvijaya Singh's tweeted on the issue. Known for remarks like 'saffron terror', 'Osamaji', and demand for probe into Batla House encounter in the past, Singh tweeted on Saturday, "Lord Ram is the nucleus of our faith and the entire country is running by his grace only. We aspire that a grand Ram Temple is built in Ayodhya soon. Late Rajiv Gandhi also wanted it to happen."

In another tweet, Singh, however, wrote, that the muhurt (time period) when the foundation of the temple will be laid on August 5 is 'inauspicious'.

Reacting to the twin developments, state BJP spokesperson Ashish Agrawal said this is all nothing, but political gimmick ahead of the crucial bypoll in 27 Assembly seats in MP.

"If the Congress is so committed towards building of Ram temple in Ayodhya, then the two senior leaders should also clarify why their government at Centre in 2007 had submitted before the Supreme Court in the Sethusamudram project matter that there was no historical evidence to establish the existence of Lord Ram or the other characters of Ramayana.

Importantly, the Kamal Nath-led Congress had gone for soft-Hindutva in its 2018 assembly poll manifesto, including building gaushalas (cowsheds) in every village panchayat and actualising erstwhile BJP regimes' unfulfilled promise of building Ram Van Gaman Path on the route taken by Lord Ram during exile.

During its 15-month-tenure, the Kamal Nath government had also made other soft Hindutva announcements, including building a permanent stage for Ramlilas in every local urban body, increasing the remuneration of temple priests and also starting Orchha Mahotsava in Orchha town famous for the Ramraja temple.

(THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS)

1357 Days ago