 "Demand for law to build temple betrays RSS' lack of faith in judiciary: NCP")
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) demand that a law be passed to enable the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya shows it lacks faith in the judiciary, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) said here Saturday.
The Babri Masjid-Ram temple issue is pending before the Supreme Court, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik pointed out.
"Still, the Sarsanghchalak (RSS chief) wants a law, and the alliance partner speaks on the same lines. Does it not amount to not having faith in the judicial system?" he asked.
"Why isn't there a willingness to accept whatever verdict the court may pass," Malik said.
During his annual Vijayadashmi speech in Nagpur, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said Thursday that the government should pave the way for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya by enacting a suitable law.
The construction of Ram temple was necessary from the "self-esteem point of view", and it will usher in an atmosphere of goodwill and oneness, Bhagwat said.
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Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, a BJP ally, too made a strong pitch for the construction of Ram temple on the same evening at his party's Dussehra rally in Mumbai.
He will visit Ayodhya on November 25 and question prime minister Narendra Modi over the issue, Thackeray said.
Criticising the Sena, NCP's national secretary Hemant Takle said it was indulging in an "emotional blackmail" of people over issues such as the Ram temple.
The Shiv Sena has nothing to say on the economic situation and incidents of mob lynchings, he said.
"People are feeling insecure. Students, farmers, people in the unorganised sector are not happy. The Ram temple is being talked about because elections are around the corner," Takle said.
"The state (Maharashtra) and the country are grappling with issues of water scarcity, farmer suicides, unemployment. The Shiv Sena has no control over governance and bureaucracy. The party's ministers attend cabinet meetings but are unaware of what is going on around them," the NCP leader said.
The Sena knows that its defeat is certain if it does not align with the BJP, Takle said, adding, "Uddhav Thackeray has to resort to sloganeering to keep his flock together.