As Uttar Pradesh goes to polls in less than two weeks, BJP national president Amit Shah has said a Ram temple will come up at Ayodhya under constitutional provisions. He also said caste-based reservations are here to stay.
Speaking to private television channel, Network 18, Mr. Shah said that while there were several issues, the BJP had no problem if the Opposition tried to convert the polls into a referendum on demonetisation.
Under the Constitution
Asked about a Ram temple at Ayodhya, which the party manifesto has mentioned, Mr. Shah said, “It can only be done under the Constitutional provisions: either through dialogue or through court order. Yes, we are definitely committed to building a Ram temple, but within the Constitutional provisions.”
Asked about RSS spokesman Manmohan Vaidya’s controversial remark that reservations should not be in perpetuity as they would divide society, Mr. Shah said the RSS leader had been quoted out of context.
“Manmohan Vaidya was asked about religious reservations. But someone took out the question and showed the answer. Controversy was created,” the BJP chief said. “He clarified and later the video also went viral showing what the question was.”
The BJP has opposed reservations for religious minorities on the ground that there cannot be religious quotas in a secular state and that it would be injustice to Dalits and OBCs, since the Supreme Court has placed a cap of 50% on reservations, meaning any new quota must be carved within the existing quotas.
Asked about triple talaq, Mr. Shah said, “Each woman should get constitutional rights. If the Supreme Court is reviewing it, we believe Muslim women must get their rights. Triple talaq violates the rights of Muslim women.”
Mr. Shah exuded confidence that demonetisation had been a correct decision, saying the BJP does not mind if the Opposition wants to make the coming polls a referendum on it.
“The fight against black money began after taking oath (in 2014). The first Cabinet decision was to create an SIT on black money. We took many decisions against black money,” he said.
He underlined that the law and order situation, exodus of people from western U.P. – BJP leaders had alleged that Hindus were fleeing Kairana — killing of animals and women’s security would continue to be issues in Uttar Pradesh.
