VHP planning to revive Ram temple agitation

Though the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is still undecided over reviving the Ayodhya issue in the wake of its recent electoral debacle, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) seems to have already chalked out plans to bring back the emotive issue on the national agenda, according to sources in the organisation.

This, despite the fact that BJP leader LK Advani appeared somewhat reluctant to commit himself on the issue at his first press conference after the party's defeat.

The VHP will next month organise a two-day conference, which will be attended by nearly 150 members, to discuss how to intensify the demand for a Ram temple in Ayodhya and take the issue forward.

While the venue for the meet is yet to be fixed, sources say a signature campaign will be launched in favour of the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

"We are determined to raise the Ram temple issue, and our meeting next month will discuss how to take the movement forward, especially in view of the changed political situation in the country," said a source.

Plainly put, now that the compulsions of running a coalition government no longer hang heavy on the BJP, its associate organisations will be looking to up the ante on the Ayodhya issue.

This development comes at a time when a section of leaders in the BJP have let it be known that the abandoning of the Ayodhya issue cost the party dearly in the just-concluded general elections.

The VHP, along with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has been urging the BJP to get back to its Hindutva roots.

In response to this, Advani had stated at his press conference last week that the BJP remained committed to Hindutva, although they wished to resolve the Ayodhya issue through a consensual approach.

Apart from the temple issue, the VHP will also be raising a 10-point charter of demands ranging from the scrapping of Article 370 of the Constitution, which guarantees special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, to a ban on cow slaughter.

"The Ayodhya issue is not dead and we wish to carry forward our promise on the construction of a Ram temple on the site where the Babri Masjid stood," said a senior office bearer of the party.