L K Advani sings Ram temple tune again

Faizabad/Ayodhya, May 6: Making a strong case for the Ram temple at Ayodhya and Ram lalla's 'darshan', senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani today would up the party campaign for the seventh phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly polls by declaring that the day was not far away when a grand temple would be constructed at the birthplace of Lord Ram.

Addressing public meetings at these twin cities, Mr Advani reiterated the commitment of BJP towards construction of Ram temple, saying ''the existing makeshift temple was not befitting the importance of the place.'' In his half-an-hour speech punctuated by the slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram', the former Deputy Prime Minister noted the Ayodhya Temple Movement had changed the course of history of BJP as well as of India.

''Ayodhya me Ram Janambhoomi sthal par ab Ram mandir ban kar rahega (a grand temple would be constructed at the birth of Lord Ram in Ayodhya at any cost),'' he asserted.

Reminding people of the Ayodhya movement as being the biggest mass movement post-Independence, he said the party's resolve about the temple construction coincided his campaign wind up meeting at Ayodhya.

The former Deputy PM, the hero of the Ayodhya movement launched 17 years back, went straight away to the makeshift Ram temple to have 'darshans' of the deity.

He observed the temple movement not only underlines the importance of cultural nationalism in the country but manages to bring forth the concept of unity. ''BJP foresees a situation where persons across the caste and religion lines participate unitedly for the construction of the grand Ram Temple at the disputed site.''

Addressing his last rally during his 14 days of his campaining, Mr Advani sought to recall that the BJP was very much alive to the issue. ''There will be a time when people of the country would find an opportunity to chant 'Jai Shri Ram' at the top of their voice on the day when Ayodhya would have a grand Ram Temple,'' he stressed.

Immediately after the meeting, Mr Advani read out a statement before the media present and made an appeal to the Muslims to engage themselves in fruitful negotiations with their community leaders to thrash out differences on the issue and evolve a cordial solution to the vexed problem.

He said he was of the firm opinion that the vote verdict, legislation and consensual agreement among all the parties were the three alternatives to the Ayodhya problem -- the third one, according to him, being the most appropriate one.

He said the permission of the court to have a make-shift Ram temple was a partial victory of this mass movement. ''...However, the Hindu community would not relent and declare their victory till the grand temple is not constructed at the disputed site.'' He said that support to this movement from all section of Hindus was an example of victory over ''pseudo seclularism and minorityism''.

''Even those who were opposed to our sentiments with regards to Ram Jamabhoomi issue can never ignore or redicule it, he noted.

Earlier, Mr Advani told the electorate to elect the BJP government as it would not only improve the quality of Uttar Pradesh, but also influence the politics of the Centre in the time to come.

Coming down heavily on UPA at the Centre for poor handling of terrorism and the Kashmir issue, he said the effort of the Centre in dealing with these issues were 'inediquate', 'insufficiant' and against the national concern.

Terming Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as a hero of development, he claimed that the government in Ahmedabad was doing a 'wonderful job.' ''UP is also awaiting formation of a similar government under the leadership of Mr Kalyan Singh...the BJP government in the state would following the foot steps of the Gujarat government,'' he added.

''The BJP would not form a coalition government in the state...we will only form a majority government,'' he said, adding that his observations during campaigning in the state indicated that the ruling Samajwadi Party government would be at the number three position.

UNI