Ramdas Athawale joins Nitish, Paswan on Ram Mandir; 'to wait for SC order'

Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Republican Party of India president Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday said he was not on the same page with BJP on the politically-sensitive Ram Mandir issue. Athawale said it was not on his party's agenda and the RPI will continue to be BJP's ally in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) based on a common minimum programme.

Athawale confirmed his stand on Ram temple issue while speaking to DNA. The RPI president has been quite consistent on his stand that the Supreme Court verdict should be awaited before taking a decision on construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. He said a mosque can also be built at the disputed site along with the temple.

Athawale said he was hopeful that the apex court will give justice to both Hindus and Muslims on the issue. Incidentally, a bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi will take up the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title dispute case on January 4.

Athawale's statement comes close on the heels of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and union minister and Lok Janshakti Party founder Ram Vilas Paswan argued the Ram Mandir issue should be resolved either through a court judgment or mutual understanding. The duo has hinted that their parties were opposed to the demand by Hindutva groups for a law to build the temple in Ayodhya.

The Ram Mandir issue has become a political hot potato, with Hindutva groups, including BJP's ideological parent RSS, making a strong case for the Centre to bring a legislation to pave the way for the temple's construction.

Moreover, the Ayodhya dispute was prominently debated during campaigning for the five states that voted new governments this month.

BMAC Appeal

• The Babri Masjid Action Committee (BMAC) has appealed to Muslims to refrain from reacting to any inflammatory statement on the Ram temple issue
• Its convenor Zafaryab Jilani said the appeal was issued at a meeting of the action committee in Delhi.
• The meeting expressed satisfaction over the progress of the matter in the court.