Build Ayodhya temple as soon as possible, says Uma Bharti

Bharti said that since the BJP enjoys “absolute majority” in the state and Centre, she expects “a courageous decision” so that the temple can be built on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site. ”Yogiji purna bahumat se mukhyamantri hain, aur Modiji purna bahumat se pradhan mantri hain… kitne pracharak, swayamsewak, Ram bhakt, har party line se jude log iss ghadi ki pratiksha kar rahe hain ki hum koi sahasik nirnay lein aur hum rashtriya sankalpa ko sakaar karein (Yogiji is Chief Minister with absolute majority, Modiji is Prime Minister with absolute majority…so many pracharaks, swayamsewaks, Ram bhakts, and all connected with the party line are waiting for the moment that we take some courageous decision and make the national resolve a reality),” said Bharti, adding that her message was for Adityanath and BJP president Amit Shah.

READ | Yogi Adityanath ahead of 2019 polls: No doubt Ram temple will be built in Ayodhya

With the 2019 general elections around the corner, Bharti said that “Ram bhakti” should not be linked with winning and losing, and that the construction of a “magnificent temple” in Ayodhya is “a matter of national pride”.

While addressing a sant sammelan in Ayodhya Monday, Adityanath had said that “there should be no doubt” that a temple will be built. Assuring the gathering that he was one among them, Adityanath had said: “You have shown so much patience so far, you should show patience for some more time.” This was the first time in the recent past that he has spoken so strongly in favour of the temple’s construction.

Read | Between the right and left, a history of Ayodhya

Bharti was in Ayodhya to attend the birthday celebrations of Nritya Gopal Das, who heads the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, a trust formed to oversee the construction of the temple.

Maintaining that the “Ram movement” was bigger than coming to power, Bharti said: “This should not be linked with 2019, this should be separated from the politics of elections… When the incident of December 6 (the Babri Masjid demolition of 1992) took place, Kalyan Singh lost his government and so did (chief ministers) Shanta Kumar, Sundar Lal Patwa, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. We never came with the greed for power, we never came with the pressure that we have to rule.”

Read | We are treating Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi matter as land dispute, no third party at this stage: SC

The Union Minister said: “Elections are a common thing, to govern is a common thing, it comes and goes… so many kings came on this earth. But if a magnificent temple is built in Ram Janmabhoomi, it would be a matter of national pride and a rare heritage for the coming generation.”