PTI, UTTAN: The RSS said on Friday that Hindus were feeling “insulted” by the Supreme Court’s declaration that the Ayodhya issue is not a priority and insisted that an ordinance would be needed if all options run out.
After a three-day RSS conclave here in Maharashtra, its general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi said the organisation “will not hesitate to launch an agitation for Ram temple, if needed, but since the matter is in the Supreme Court, there are restrictions.” He stated this when asked whether the Sangh will launch an agitation for Ram temple construction like in the 1990s.
Meanwhile, chief of ruling BJP ally Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray said the RSS should bring down the Narendra Modi government if it felt the need to launch an agitation for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. Joshi said the RSS was “not putting pressure” on the government as “we respect the law and the Constitution which is why there has been delay.”
The RSS leader added that the Ram temple issue was among various matters discussed when BJP president Amit Shah met Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat here earlier in the day. “We respect the Supreme Court and urge it to take into consideration sentiments of hindus,” Joshi said while addressing a press conference after the National Executive meeting of the RSS here on the outskirts of Mumbai.
“The wait for the (Supreme) court’s verdict has been too long. Since the matter was listed on October 29, we felt Hindus would get good news before Diwali. But the Supreme Court deferred the hearing,” he said. “We will not hesitate to launch an agitation for Ram temple if needed. But since the matter is in the Supreme Court, there are restrictions,” he added. On October 29, the SC fixed the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case for the first week of January 2019 before an appropriate bench, which will decide the schedule of hearing.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, said the appropriate bench will decide the future course of hearing in January on the appeals filed against the Allahabad High Court verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case.
“We have our own priorities. Whether the matter will be heard in January, February or March, the appropriate bench will decide,” it had said when Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and advocate C S Vaidyanathan, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government and deity Ramlala respectively, sought early listing of the appeals in the case.
As many as 14 appeals have been filed against the 2010 High Court judgement that suggested that the 2.77 acres of disputed land be partitioned equally among three parties — the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. Joshi Friday said the matter had been pending before courts for too long and pointed out that the apex court said their priorities were different when an early hearing of the long-pending issue was sought.
Joshi said the temple issue is closely linked to the faith and sentiments of Hindus and it is painful to hear that it does not figure on the priority list of the court. “It is a matter of pain and anguish that an issue which Hindus consider their faith and sentiment is not in the priority list of the court… Hindus are feeling insulted.” The RSS expected the court to decide on the issue,”taking into consideration the sentiments of the Hindu community,” Joshi said.
The RSS leader said a legal sanction is required to pave way for construction of the temple. Asked about the demand of various Sangh Parivar outfits for an ordinance for early construction of a Ram
temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, he said, it was the right of those asking for it. “The government should consider this option if all other options run out… it is up to the government,” he said.
At the same time, he added, “Unless the Supreme Court takes a decision on the title suit, it is difficult for the government to take any decision.” Joshi was asked if the RSS was putting pressure on
the government and why the temple issue was not being decided by the government since it has a majority.
“We are not putting pressure. But we will build consensus. We respect the law and the constitution which is why there has been delay,” he added. Joshi said the RSS has been agitating for 30 years to
have a Ram temple in Ayodhya. “The hindu society wants all hurdles to be cleared to pave the way for temple construction. The wait has been too long,” he said.
