Advani: Temple is my life’s aim
Bringing back the Ram Mandir issue, BJP parliamentary party chief L.K. Advani, while launching his campaign in the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh, reiterated his party’s commitment to build the temple at the disputed site. While addressing a public rally in Ayodhya, Mr Advani said his life’s aim is to see a “grand” Ram temple in the city. While BJP chief Nitin Gadkari had recently said that Ram Mandir issue is not on the party’s poll agenda, the issue was mentioned in the party’s election manifesto for the state.
“The aim of my public life will be achieved the day a grand temple is constructed at the place where the idol of Lord Ram is placed.... I believe that all the Ram bhakts want this day to come soon. Our efforts will continue in this direction,” Mr Advani assured the gathering.
It was Mr Advani who had undertaken the Ramrath yatra in early 1990, part of the Ramjanambhoomi campaign which led to demolition of the Babri mosque.
He said the then Rajiv Gandhi government should have taken initiative for the construction of a Ram temple on the lines of the one taken by the then Congress dispensation for the Somnath temple in Gujarat.
Recalling the Allahabad high court verdict on the issue, the senior BJP leader said all the three judges had accepted that the place where the idol was placed is the birthplace of the lord. He said, “Hindus and Muslims leaders should sit together to work out a formula for resolving the issue.”
Mr Advani informed the gathering that after reading books Somnath and Pilgrimage to Freedom, he came to know that there were problems in the way of construction of Somnath temple before former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
“I came to know that Pandit Nehru had headed the meeting which decided to rebuild the Somnath temple and among others present were Maulana Azad, Sardar Patel and K. Munshi,” Mr Advani said.
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