Narendra Modi can’t solve Ram temple issue, but Mulayam can: Chinmayanand

“Mulayam has respectability among Muslims and they accept his words. Modi has this challenge of getting acceptability among Muslims. So, Mulayam can play an effective role in solving the issue by making consensus among Muslims for construction of the temple,” Chinmayanand told The Indian Express from Shahjahanpur.

“Modi cannot cross the barrier of getting acceptability among Muslims. Mulayam is most eligible. He can talk with Muslims,” he added.

Chinmayanand, who was once at the helm of Ram Temple movement and held the post of convenor of Ram Janam Bhoomi Sangharsh Samiti in past, said Subramanian Swamy’s statement holds no value. “Whenever there is any hope that the matter will be settled, such statements come up only to spoil the atmosphere of the country. There is no need for such statements as it further complicates the matter,” Chinmayanand said.

A three-term BJP MP, Chinmayanand was Minister of State for Internal Affairs (Home) during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s regime. He was denied ticket by BJP in 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha polls. He now runs Mumukshu Ashram and five colleges in Shahjahanpur district. He also has ashrams in Haridwar, Vrindavan and Badrinath.

“I am member of BJP’s national council. I am also part of the Saint body Marg Darshak Mandal, which guides Vishwa Hindu Parishad. During the Ram temple movement, I was convenor of Ram Janam Bhoomi Sangharsh Samiti,” Chinmayanand claimed, adding that “the need of the hour is settlement of this (Ayodhya) dispute”.

Chinmayanand claimed that he will talk to anybody, including BJP leaders, at appropriate time over Ram temple issue. He, however, added that his statement should not be seen as him being inclined towards the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh. “I am not seeing this with political angle but through an angle of resolving the issue,” he added.

Addressing a seminar at Delhi University last week, Subramanian Swamy exuded confidence that work on the construction of the Ram temple would start before the year-end. He, however, made it clear that the temple would not come up through a movement but only after the court verdict, which he hoped would come by August-September, and with the mutual consent of Muslim and Hindu communities. Asked if raising the Ram temple issue was linked to elections in UP in early 2017, he said, “Ram should not be linked with elections. Ram is a matter of faith for Hindus and construction of the temple at Ayodhya is a commitment of every Hindu”.