Journalism of Courage
The Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, a Trust comprising Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders and sants formed to promote and oversee development of Ram temple in Ayodhya, Tuesday decided to request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help in getting a special bench constituted in Supreme Court for the faster trial of Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute case.
In a crucial meeting held in Ayodhya, Nyas members urged the Muslim community to withdraw their claim over Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, and Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya, and “hand over” these religious places to Hindus to “end disputes and maintain harmony in society”.
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“We have decided to make a demand to the Centre to form a special bench in Supreme Court for regular trial of the case about Ram Janmabhoomi for an early verdict. The central government can, meanwhile, move a bill in Parliament to enact a law for building the Ram temple,” former BJP MP and senior VHP leader Ram Vilas Vedanti told The Indian Express after the meeting.
Vedanti said they have already sought an appointment from Prime Minister Narendra Modi when they will hand over a memorandum of demands about Ram Janmabhoomi issue and development of Ram temple. He said there was no discussion on the possibility of an “out of court settlement” and the Nyas will wait for the Supreme Court ‘s verdict.
The meeting was chaired by Shankaracharya Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati of Allahabad in presence of Nyas chairman Nritya Gopal Das, VHP patron Ashok Singhal and other senior VHP leaders and sants.
The Nyas members also reviewed the progress at VHP’s workshop at Karsevakpuram where material is being readied for the proposed Ram temple. “An additional 1.50 lakh cubic feet of stone is required for the structure. The Nyas fund marked for the project has been used and we will make an appeal to the workers and devotees to donate stones and volunteer for work at the Karsevakpuram,” Vedanti added.
VHP media in-charge Sharad Sharma said a special drive will be held over next one year to collect stones through donations for the Ram temple.
The Nyas meeting, at the Mani Ram Das Chawni temple, adjacent to the Babri Masjid premises, was held after 12 years and comes in the backdrop of Hindutva leaders accusing the BJP-led government at Centre of not showing positive signals regarding temple’s construction.
Earlier, this month Vinay Katiyar, Rajya Sabha MP from BJP had said the government should bring a legislation to resolve the issue forever, and cautioned that if the issue is ignored, “the anger of Ram bhakts might erupt as a volcano”.
On June 10, VHP patron Ashok Singhal had said, “I appeal the Muslim community to hand over three places – Kashi, Mathura and Ayodhya – to Hindus peacefully…love and amity will prevail in the society.”
