Ayodhya, Oct 1:
A group of Hindu priests sat on an indefinite fast from Monday, demanding the immediate construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Speaking to ANI, Mahant Swami Paramhans Das of Tapasvi Chavni temple said, “We are starting our fast from today. I demand the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to enact a law for the construction of Ram temple. The temple should be constructed as soon as possible. I want Modi ji to speak on the issue, give a decision to construct Ram temple.” Ahead of their fast, the saints also held “Shila Pujan” inside the Tapasvi Chavni temple. Earlier, Acharya Satyendra Das, head priest of the makeshift Ram temple in Ayodhya, had expressed his dissatisfaction over Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s failure to intervene in the issue for the last four years. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had said that he wants the Ayodhya matter to be resolved as soon as possible. The Chief Minister had said that the people of the country are awaiting an immediate solution to the matter. On Thursday, the Supreme Court had declined to refer the 1994 Ismail Faruqui matter, a case related to Ayodhya dispute, to a larger Constitution bench. Announcing its verdict, the apex court had held that all religions and religious places need to be equally respected.
“Ashoka’s edicts preach tolerance to the faith of others,” Justice Ashok Bhushan had said while reading out the verdict. A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and also comprised Justices Ashok Bhushan and S Abdul Nazeer, had pronounced the decision.
The top court will now begin hearing on the Ramjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid case from October 29 to decide the suit on merit.
