Work on Ram temple to start by yearend: Uma Bharti

As the BJP prepares to win Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections next year, Union minister Uma Bharti announced that work on the contentious Ayodhya temple would begin by yearend. She further sought a resolution to the lingering dispute, which is under litigation, through dialogue.

In an interview to the PTI, Ms Bharti claimed that she believed Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy that work on Ayodhya temple would begin by the yearend. She, however, ruled herself out as a possible chief ministerial candidate for UP polls.

“I respect Mr Swamy very much. He is my hero. I was 15-16 years old when Emergency was imposed and Dr Swamy and George Fernandes were my heroes. For me he is a heroic figure. So whatever he says, I will believe that.”

Incidentally, while speaking at an event in Mumbai in April, Mr Swamy had claimed that Ram temple construction would begin by this year-end in Ayodhya.

He had expressed confidence that next year Hindus would celebrate Ram Navami at Ram temple. “The issue in the Ram temple movement was whether it was the birthplace of Lord Rama or not. The three-judge bench of Allahabad HC said one thing undisputedly that the dome in the middle is of Ramlala... There is no dispute now on whether it is Ram Janmabhoomi or not,” said Ms Bharti.

The Union Minister suggested that parties to the dispute should sit together and saints and religious leaders of both sides facilitate dialogue between the two communities and tell the court they have resolved the issue. “I am very proud that I took part in the movement, which has also got the stamp of the court that I was right,” she said, referring to the Allahabad High Court judgement.