VHP asks BJP to leave Ram Temple issue to Hindu seers

BHUBANESWAR: Vishwa Hindu Parishad international president Ashok Singhal on Monday said the Bharatiya janata Party [BJP] had been told to leave the issue of Ram temple construction at Ayodhya to the Hindu seers and sages.

“We have asked the BJP that Ram temple construction is not their movement. It is a movement by the seers and sages of India who have been waging it since long and they will continue it till the temple comes up at Ayodhya,’ Mr Singhal said.

He lambasted the right-wing party saying the BJP had failed to fulfill the aspiration of the crores of the Hindus living in India and abroad.

Asked if VHP was contemplating to enter electoral politics, the veteran leader said, “If it is ever required, we will certainly think over it.”

Mr Singhal fired salvos at the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, union government and the ruling BJD in Orissa for allowing a European Union delegation to visit Orissa’s Kandhamal district.

“Sonia Gandhi, the UPA government and Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik should explain why they allowed the EU delegation to enter Kandhamal. It is something like compromising with the sovereign status of our country. Did not they compromise with the security of the country by allowing the delegation who came here and held a close-door meeting with Church leaders at Kandhamal?” he asked.

The VHP leader said since Sonia and Naveen’s eleder brother Prem Patnaik’s wife had Italy origin, they had joined hands to encourage spread of Christianity in India.

Mr Singhal dubbed Naveen Patnaik “betrayer” and cautioned him to refrain from his “anti-Hindu” activity.

“In his bid to continue in power, Naveen backed by Congress president Sonia Gandhi has embarked on an anti-Hindu drive. In Kandhamal riot cases, he has arrested over 1100 Hindus whereas only a handful Christians were booked, thus smacking of Naveen’s so-called secular face,” he added.