Immediately after PM Narendra Modi's comments that an ordinance on Ram temple can be brought in only after the Supreme Court ruling on the matter, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh reminded the PM that he was voted in because the BJP had promised to explore all avenues available in the Constitution to build the Ram temple in Aoydhya.
"The people expect that this government will fulfil its promise of building the Ram temple within its tenure," said Dattatreya Hosabale, Sangh Joint Secretary.
In an interview to news agency ANI, When asked why his party did not hesitate to bring an ordinance on the issue of Triple Talaaq but hasn’t taken the ordinance route in case of Ram Mandir, Modi said, “Ordinance on triple talaq was brought after the SC verdict. We have said in our BJP manifesto that a solution would be found to this (Ayodhya) issue under Constitution.”
The BJP has repeatedly promised to construct Ram Mandir in its manifestoes, not just in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls but in the ’17 UP assembly polls as well, promising to “explore all possibilities within the purview of the Constitution to construct a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya”.
Senior party leaders have been issuing mixed signals on the route BJP prefers for early construction of Ram Mandir.
While clearing his party’s stand on the issue, PM Modi also reiterated a charge against Congress - of politicizing the issue and deliberately trying to delay the SC verdict.
The PM’s statement on the issue of Ram Mandir comes at a time when the RSS chief and deputy chief have publicly demanded ordinance for the construction of Ram Mandir.
While RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, in his Vijayadashmi speech, had said that the government should pass a law to authorise the building of a Ram Mandir in Ayodhya rather than “test the patience of the society”.
RSS number 2 ‘Bhaiyyaji’ Joshi had, while attending a huge rally organised by the VHP in Delhi last month, said, “There are circumstances in which people begin to be doubtful about the judiciary... It is the duty of Parliament to pave way for the construction of Ram Temple...We are not begging.”
While party general secretary Ram Madhav claimed, “Option of ordinance has always been there…We are hoping the SC will take it in fast-track way and conclude it early. If that’s not going to happen, we'll explore other options,” in an interview given to ANI last week.