M A I N   N E W S

VHP’s temple strategy takes back seat
T.R. Ramachandran
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 16
With the shila daan being performed peacefully in Ayodhya yesterday, the Atal Behari Vajpayee government firmly believes that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad cannot draw up a strategy for another build-up on the mandir issue in the immediate future.

This is because the entire matter of alloting the land or otherwise acquired by the Union Government in Ayodhya has moved from the Executive to the Supreme Court.

The apex court in its interim order of March 13 said that no part of the 67.703 acres of acquired land “shall be handed over by the government to anyone or permitted to be occupied or used for any religious purpose or in connection therewith.” The three-Judge Bench also referred to a Larger Bench the proper interpretation of the 1994 judgement which is now not within the realm of the executive.

That has virtually capped any other plans of the VHP and the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas (RJN) to go ahead with the construction of the Ram temple, acknowledge highly placed sources in the Vajpayee government.

While discriminating sections in the higher echelons of the government are feeling relieved that the Ayodhya controversy in its entirety is before the court, the VHP’s and the RJN’s room for manoeuvring and arm-twisting the executive has taken a back seat.

Sources said no organisation can now take recourse to whipping up religious sentiments as evidenced in the past when there were concerted efforts from within and without to pressurise the executive to transfer the land for starting the construction of the mandir.

Clearly, there is a feeling in the Vajpayee government that the prospects of any build-up in the immediate to medium term is ruled out. At the same time, there can be no complacency on the part of the government in maintaining law and order.

It is widely believed in government circles that the Larger Bench of the Supreme Court is unlikely to provide its interpretation of the 1994 judgement at least before the vacations are over in July. The Vajpayee government was anxious that everything should pass off peacefully on March 15 in Ayodhya as the build-up for the same had begun nearly a year ago. Judging by that yardstick, the central political leadership feels the mandir imbroglio has to inexorably take a back seat and await the adjudication by the Court.

I saved govt’s honour: Mahant

Ayodhya, March 16
A day after his shila daan programme ended in an anti-climax, Ram Janambhoomi Nyas President Ramchandradas Paramhans today sought to justify the change of venue, saying that he had saved the government’s honour and asserted that the Ram Temple could be built only through the use of force.

“I abided by the Supreme Court decision (by not performing the shila daan near the acquired land). I saved the government’s “lajja”, Mahant Paramhans told reporters here.

“There could have been bloodshed, had I gone ahead with my plan of donating the shila near the acquired land. That is why I dispersed the kar sevaks who had come along with me.”

Mahant Paramhans claimed that he had “technically carried out the shila daan at the pre-planned place as one of shila was donated at Ramkot Mohalla close to the acquired land.”

He said he had refused to donate the shila to Divisional Commissioner A.K. Gupta, who is the official Receiver of the acquired land, as he did not “trust” him.

“The shila is now secure and will be used when temple construction work begins” he said, adding that yesterday’s programme marked the “beginning of the Ram Temple construction”.

On the next move, Mahant Paramhans said it would be “very sensitive” but refused to elaborate. However, he said “as the Babri mosque was built by force, the temple would also be built by force in the same way the mosque was demolished by Ram sevaks. In this world, only takat (force) works.”

Asked whether the use of force would not amount to contempt of court, the Mahant of Digambar Akhara said “nobody can accept any verdict against religious beliefs of a community.” PTI