Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation for the historic construction Ram Temple in Ayodhya on the 5th of August.
The Member of Parliament from BJP, Subramanian Swamy has come out and made controversial statements by saying that Prime Minister Modi has no contribution towards the construction of the Ram temple. In an interview to TV9, he said,
“We did all the arguments and debates for the temple. The government did nothing that can be called a factor towards the (Supreme Court’s) decision favoring the construction of the temple.”
Rajiv Gandhi’s Contribution
Instead, Swamy praised former Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi and PV Narasimha Rao who pushed towards the construction of Ram Temple. Rajiv Gandhi was the one who ordered to unlock the gates of the contested site. Until then, only one priest was allowed to perform puja once a year since 1949. In an article in the Outlook, it read,
“In 1985, Rajiv Gandhi gave in to the Muslim zealots in the Shah Bano affair. Overruling a secular court’s decision that repudiated wife Shah Bano was entitled to alimony from her ex-husband, he enacted a law abolishing the alimony provision in conformity with the Sharia. Since India, unlike purely secular states, already had religion-based civil codes, this concession merely brought the minor matter of alimony under the purview of the prevailing arrangement. More importantly, it prevented riots. Only months later, Rajiv restored the balance by giving the Hindus something as well: he ordered the locks on the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri masjid in Ayodhya removed.”
Under PV Narasimha Rao’s tenure, the Babri Masjid demolition actually took place. While he had authorities to impose central rule in Uttar Pradesh to protect the Mosque, he eventually did nothing.
The ceremony is set to take place on the 5th of August. Along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat is also set to take part in the event.
Source: Free Press Journal
