The RSS on Friday ratcheted up its Ayodhya rhetoric after meetings with BJP president Amit Shah, declining to rule out a “1992-like” agitation and saying the Supreme Court’s refusal to give priority to the issue had left Hindus “anguished” and “insulted”.
The meetings and the move to up the ante on the Ram temple came on a day Congress president Rahul Gandhi alleged “kickbacks” in the Rafale deal and targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally.
Shah met senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leaders in Mumbai after the end of the organisation’s three-day national executive meeting, which had discussed strategies for building a Ram temple on the disputed plot in Ayodhya.
Shah separately met Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat and discussed the proposed temple, Sangh sources said.
Bhagwat, the patriarch of the Sangh parivar, had last month suggested the government pass a law to pave the way for the Ram temple. The demand grew into a parivar chorus after the apex court this week postponed to January a decision on when to hear the Ayodhya title suit.
The parivar’s objective seems to be to keep the issue simmering ahead of the general election, force the Opposition to take a stand, and deflect attention from the controversies buffeting the government.
The mood was evident when Sangh joint general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi, the number two in the organisation, met the media and regretted the Supreme Court decision.
Asked whether the Sangh might launch a “1992-like” agitation if the Ayodhya dispute was not sorted out soon, he said: “We will, if necessary.”
On December 6, 1992, kar sevaks participating in the Sangh parivar’s temple movement demolished the Babri Masjid.
“That an issue associated with the faith of crores of Hindus is not a priority for the court is surprising and has caused anguish. The Hindus feel insulted,” Joshi said.
“We urge the court to reconsider. If they (the Supreme Court) will not give priority to an issue associated with the sentiments of crores of Hindus, what issue will be their priority?”
Asked how much time the Sangh was willing to give the Supreme Court, Joshi said: “The court has to decide how long it will test the sentiments of the people.”
To a question, Joshi said the Sangh had always respected the courts. “But the courts have a responsibility too to take note of the sentiments of a large section of the people,” he said.
“We believe that the court will take the sentiments of the Hindus into account while adjudicating on the matter.”
So far, Modi and Shah have refrained from speaking on Ayodhya, allowing lesser figures and the parivar cousins to build the campaign and preferring to wait and watch the public reaction.
Commenting on the apex court decision, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath recently said: “Justice delayed is equivalent to injustice.”
Asked about the demand for a law, Joshi said: “If there is no alternative left, the government will have to fall back on passing a law or ordinance.”
Joshi argued that the Ayodhya land suit was tilted heavily in favour of the Hindus. He claimed the erstwhile P.V. Narasimha Rao government had given an affidavit to the apex court saying the land would be given to the Hindus if evidence came up that a temple pre-existed the mosque at the site.
“It has now been conclusively proved that there was a temple. The evidence is before the court,” he claimed.