New Delhi: Firebrand BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has reiterated his claim that Ram Temple in Ayodhya will soon become a reality and that the construction work at the site will start before the end of this year.
" There is a public demand for building the Ram Temple. This is not the only project that I've been pursuing. Earlier I've taken up several projects, including religious ones. On the issue of Ram Temple, people are very much concerned.
They came and told me to pursue it in the manner I did on Ram Setu, which was a big success. The Ram temple will become a reality," he said, adding “Supreme Court will too give a favourable judgment”.
Seeking day-to-day hearing of the Ram Janmabhoomi issue in the Supreme Court, he said, “Our case is very strong and even the Allahabad High Court had supported out stand based on the evidence presented by us.
The historical, archeological and epigraphy-based evidences have shown that there existed a temple beneath the Babri mosque.”
Swamy, however, said that ‘he don't want to do anything forcibly', and that he had taken up the issue for negotiation with Syed Shahabuddin who was heading the other side.
“The Muslim leaders have said that they would accept the Supreme Court's verdict. I had discussions with AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, Syed Shahabuddin and other Muslim leaders. They also want day-to-day hearing. Earlier, I had taken up the issue for negotiation with Shahabuddin who was heading the other side.
But the government fell, and so I could not complete the process,” he told First Post.
The BJP leader also made it clear that ‘no mosque will be allowed to be built in Ram Janmabhoomi and Muslims can build a mosque on the land across the Saryu river'.
Asked whether the BJP was on the same page with him on the issue, he said construction of the Ram temple was mentioned in the party's manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha election. "It was in the Lok Sabha election manifesto of our party.
No one will go against the party manifesto. This is a full time work (Ram temple). The prime minister will run the nation and I will work towards the construction of the Ram temple," Swamy said.
The BJP manifesto, in two brief lines on the last page under the heading 'cultural heritage', reiterated the party's stand on the construction of the Ram temple at the site of the demolished Babri mosque.
Subramanian Swamy moves SC to build Ram Temple
Swamy on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking construction of Lord Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. Mentioning his petition before the apex court bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur, Swamy said that under the practices prevalent in Islamic countries a mosque could be shifted to any other place for public purposes like constructing road etc., whereas a temple once constructed could not be touched.
He said that the disputed mosque in Ayodhya could be shifted to some place across river Saryu and the Lord Ram temple be constructed at the disputed site.
The court said that the matter would be listed before the bench already hearing other matters relating to Ram temple-Babri Masjid dispute.
