Amid protests and allegations that an all-out effort was being made to communalise the atmosphere at Delhi University, a two-day seminar on the Ram Janmabhoomi temple kicked off on Saturday. While the police detained protesters outside the venue of the seminar, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, addressing the gathering at the event, said, “This event is not complete without the protest happening outside.”
The seminar was organised at DU’s arts faculty by the Arundhati Vashishtha Anusandhan Peeth (AVAP), a research organisation founded by late VHP leader Ashok Singhal. Mr Swamy is the chairman of AVAP. This is the first time that the DU campus was used to held an event on a communally-charged issue.
Addressing the crowded seminar hall of the DU’ conference centre, Mr Swamy said that the Ram temple will be constructed at the place were Lord Ram was born and separate land will be allotted for the construction of a mosque across the Saryu river. “Hindus will build a mosque on the land across the Saryu river but the Ram temple will be built on the decided land only.”
Mr Swamy claimed that the temple would have been constructed long ago if the late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was re-elected to office after the 1989 general election.
During a two-day seminar on the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy said, “Rajiv Gandhi had personally assured me that the Ram temple will be built and whenever he gets an opportunity, he will also help. It was Mr Gandhi who allowed telecast of the TV serial Ramayana, which created excitement among masses. Mr Gandhi also permitted the Shilanyas. He had started his election campaign for the 1989 elections from Faizabad and said that there should be a Ram Rajya in the country. I hope the Congress will also come forward and support as this is not just our demand but that of the country.”
The BJP leader hinted that after the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, two more temples will be constructed, one at Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi and a Krishna temple at his birthplace in Mathura. “In our country, over 40,000 temples have been demolished, we never say that all those should be reconstructed. But there cannot be a compromise on three of them — Ram Janmabhoomi temple, Krishna temple in Mathura and Kashi Vishwanath temple. If the Ram temple is constructed there will be an easy way for others, discussions can be done but not compromise,” the BJP leader said.
He blamed political parties and organisations for creating hurdles in the construction of the temple. “The Union government, in an affidavit way back in 1991, and several Muslims leaders had committed that if it is proved that there was a temple earlier, they will let us reconstruct it there. Now why are they opposing the construction of Ram temple ” he asked.
He assured the audience that nothing will be done forcibly or against the law. “The construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya is ‘mandatory’ for the revival of our culture. We have started and we will not give up until it is made but nothing will be done forcibly and against the law. We have full faith that we will win in the court,” added Mr Swamy.
While Mr Swamy was addressing the seminar, hundreds of protesters from different students’ wings staged protests outside the venue.
