Tirunelveli, Oct 12:
The VHP on Friday urged the Centre to build consensus on bringing a legislation to construct the Ram temple in Ayodhya, even though it expressed hope that a case on the matter pending in the Supreme Court would come to a finality in six months. BJP on its own will not be able to bring a legislation as it lacks a majority in Rajya Sabha. But anyhow we have fixed a deadline as January 31 or February 1, 2019 on the auspicious day of Kumbh Mela in Allahabad to bring the legislation in Parliament,” VHP president Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje said. Kokje, who was in Tirunelveli for Tamirabharani Maha Pushkaram festival, was replying to a question from reporters on BJP’s assurance to build the temple.The Centre should bring the legislation with consensus of all MPs to pave the way for building the Ram temple, he said. The Vishva Hindu Parishad leader said the organisation last week set a “deadline” for the government to bring an ordinance by the year-end. Tracing VHP’s movement for the Ram temple, he said the organisation took the decision for its construction in 1984 and after a long legal battle, the Allahabad High Court gave its verdict largely favouring the Hindus. This has been challenged in the apex court.”We hope that the matter will be decided within six months in the Supreme Court,” he added. On the top court lifting the ban on entry of women into Sabarimala temple, he said the matter involved a conflict of interests between the rights of women and age-old faith of religious traditions and favoured a review. He also said the VHP wanted a review of the court’s verdicts decriminalising adultery and homosexuality. The judgements were “retrograde” in nature and destroyed age-old values and institutions such as marriage, Kokje claimed. A large number people took a holy dip in Tamirabharani river as part of the maha pushkaram (worshipping of rivers).
