Seers to petition PM Narendra Modi for construction of Ram temple

AYODHYA: Amidst growing pitch among BJP leaders for construction of a grand temple of Lord Ram at Ayodhya, religious leaders would petition Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfill his poll promise.

"During a meeting of seers and saints held at Haridwar, the Chairman of Ram Janmbhoomi Nyas had said that a delegation of religious leaders will first meet the Prime Minister," VHP spokesman Sharad Sharma told PTI.

He said the delegation would meet Modi by month-end. Sharma said there was resentment among the seers over the delay by the BJP in fulfilling its poll promise.

Realising the growing unrest among seers over delay in construction of Ram temple here, BJP MP and face of the temple movement of the 90s, Vinay Katiyar has said it was high time that the BJP government showed some signs of fulfilling its promise in this regard.

"Without waiting for the verdict of the Supreme Court, the government should make a move to resolve the issue either through talks or by bringing a legislation," Katiyar told PTI.

On the stand taken by the NDA government that it does not have majority in Rajya Sabha for passage of a bill to ensure construction of the temple, he said, "Let it be brought in Lok Sabha where the government has thumping majority and then place it in Rajya Sabha and people be apprised of what all the government has been doing to keep its promise of Ram temple."

When his attention was drawn to growing disenchantment of Ram Bhakts over the delay, he cautioned that their anger "might cross all limits" if the matter was kept on the back-burner any longer.

Both Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President Amit Shah have stated that government was not in a position to solve the issue by enacting a law because of lack of strength in Rajya Sabha.