Ministers claim on BR Ambedkar and Ayodhya may trigger row

Azam Khan demands ‘ban’ on RSS

In what could create further problems for the BJP-led NDA government in Parliament, senior minister Thawar Chand Gehlot said Sunday that the architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr B.R. Ambedkar, had believed a “Ram mandir is there in Ayodhya”. The minister, however, said any further action on the construction of a Ram temple will be taken only after the Supreme Court has given its ruling on the issue. Parliament had held a two-day special sitting on the Constitution and Dr Ambedkar last week.

The minister’s remarks came on the day the 60th death anniversray of Dr Ambedkar and the 23th anniversary of the Babri Masjid’s demolition were observed. The ruling NDA faces Opposition heat in Parliament over the issue of “intolerance” and also over RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat’s recent remarks on the Ram mandir.

Samajwadi Party leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan has demanded that the RSS be banned and that the Narendra Modi government label the Sangh Parivar fountainhead a “terrorist organisation”. The BJP hit back at the SP leader, saying he and his party suffered from “RSS-phobia” and that their rants against it had made no difference to the “nationalist” organisation.

“Ambedkarji used to respect all people, followers of all religions. The Ram Mandir is there, he believed in it. Though he never made any categorical comment on this, but from his thinking on pluralism and respect for all, I can say his view was positive... Whenever there is mutual consensus and when the apex court decision comes, there will be further action. This we have said earlier also. We do not have anything new to say now,” said Mr Gehlot, minister of social justice and empowerment.

Senior BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya also called for a consensus on the Ram Mandir issue and said it should be constructed at the earliest. Sangh Parivar affiliates like the VHP and Bajrang Dal observed a “Shaurya Divas” on Sunday and demanded construction of the Ram Mandir at the disputed site in Ayodhya “at the earliest”. Many Muslim outfits observed a “day of sorrow” on the 23rd anniversary of the Babri demolition. BSP chief Mayawati also attacked “communal forces” for demolishing the Babri Masjid in 1992. The Left parties held a protest rally in New Delhi and accused the RSS-BJP of whipping up communal passions in the country.

The VHP and Bajrang Dal, which organised “Shaurya Divas” functions across the country, said they will write to the Prime Minister to resolve the issue at the earliest. “Lord Ram has been forced to live in an incompletely constructed temple for 23 years now and it is the ardent desire of his devotees to see him back in his abode in Ayodhya. The time has come for a consensus to be drawn over the row and formulate a solution so that Sri Ram can return in his temple,” Mr Vijaywargiya tweeted.

Demanding a ban on the RSS, SP leader Azam Khan said in Rampur: “They have orchestrated many riots and many others have been planned. The RSS should be declared a terrorist organisation.” On the Ram Mandir issue, Mr Khan said: “We want to assure the BJP and RSS that if the Babri Masjid is built at the same place (in Ayodhya), all the Muslims of India will leave no stone unturned for the BJP to come back to power.”

Hitting back at Mr Khan, BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said when earlier Prime Ministers like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi could not harm the RSS, then people like him (Azam) were of little worth.

“It’s just an effort to create communal tension, appease a section of people and cover up the failures of the Uttar Pradesh government.” said the BJP leader. He said Mr Khan, his party and the Congress suffer from “RSS-phobia” and their rants against it have made no difference to the “nationalist” organisation. Mr Sharma claimed the RSS works to integrate country and attach people to their culture while Mr Khan and his party represented “fissiparous” forces that believed in the politics of appeasement.

Ruling out the construction of a mosque at the disputed site, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj said: “No power in the world can build a masjid there. The entire world may raise chants of Babri, Babri. A temple was there, temple is there and a temple will be there always.”