Congress on Saturday attacked senior BJP Leader L K Advani for his statement that a Ram temple “should be and will be built at Ayodhya” saying the BJP leader is doing so to “avoid or delay his forced retirement“.
“Mr. Advani is raising such issues to avoid and delay his forced retirement which is being pushed by senior leaders of BJP and RSS,” party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmad told reporters here.
On Friday, the BJP leader had after offering prayers at the Somnath temple in Gujarat said, “Ram temple should be and will be built at Ayodhya ... I visit Somnath every year this day and will continue to do so till Ram temple comes up at Ayodhya.”
Mr. Advani had also launched his Rathyatra from the same place on September 25, 1990 to press for the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, which ended abruptly after his arrest in Bihar at that time.
Attacking the BJP for again raking up the issue, Mr. Ahmad said, “BJP has attempted to dishonour Maryada Purushottam Ram a number of times in the past for the sake of votes. The issue is again being raised so that communal passion flares up“.
Mr. Ahmad said the Congress has a very clear opinion on the Ram temple issue. “A solution to it can be found only in two ways either through a consensus and mutual amity between the two communities or as per the decision of the court.”
