SP dares BJP to start temple work, MLC offers Rs 10 lakh

 Ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh today dared the BJP on the Ram temple issue, saying the state government will not allow "lifting or installation" of even a single stone at the disputed structure, while a party MLC offered Rs 10 lakh and a gold crown to the saffron party to start construction at the site.

Challenging the BJP to start construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, a Samajwadi Party MLC (Member of Legislative Council) today offered Rs 10 lakhs and a gold crown for it.

"With Assembly election of Uttar Pradesh round the corner, BJP is raking up the Ram temple issue. I challenge them to start construction and I will give them Rs 10 lakhs and a gold crown," SP MLC Bukkal Nawab told PTI.

SP spokesman and Cabinet minister Shivpal Yadav said,"BJP is playing with the sentiments of people in the name of construction of Ram temple. They are not telling the site where they will build the temple. Our government will follow the court order in this regard."

"Na ek eint uthegi na hi lagegi (neither a single brick will be lifted nor it be installed)," he told reporters.

He also alleged that the BJP was raising the issue of cow slaughter but its own men were involved in slaughtering.

MLC Bukkal Nawab said, "Though the matter is pending before SC, BJP leaders are busy in giving dates for start of construction for the temple. BJP itself did not want construction of the temple there (in Ayodhya) and was only playing politics on the issue."

However, the party downplayed Nawab's statement.
When asked about it, Shivpal Yadav said, "It's good if Bukkal gets the temple constructed...He might have said for helping in construction of Ram temple, but he has not said where it will be constructed."

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had on January 6 claimed that work on the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya would start before this year-end.

Swamy had, however, made it clear that the temple would not come up through a movement but only after the court verdict, which he hoped would come by August-September and with the mutual consent of Muslim and Hindu communities.

In December last year, almost six months after VHP announced its nationwide drive to collect stones for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, two trucks of stones arrived in the temple city.

"Two trucks of stones have been unloaded at Ram Sewak Puram, a VHP property in Ayodhya, and 'Shila Pujan' (praying of the stones) has been performed by Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the president of Ram Janam Bhumi Nyas," VHP spokesman Sharad Sharma had said then.

Mahant Nritya Gopal Das also told reporters that there was a "signal" from the Modi government that the temple will be build "now".

"Now, the time has come for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Lot of stones arrived today in Ayodhya. And now the arrival of stones will continue. We have signals from Modi Government that Mandir construction would be done now," he said.

Reacting to the arrival of stones at VHP headquarters, Faizabad Senior Superintendent of Police Mohit Gupta had said that the police was monitoring the situation. "We are monitoring all the developments minutely. Stones have arrived and being kept in a private premises. Due to this development, if their was any breach in peace or communal harmony we will definitely take action," he said.

Taking on the Centre, Shivpal Yadav said that promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Lok Sabha polls are yet to be fulfilled.

"There is no 'acche din' in the country. The work for clean Ganga river has not started. They also failed in checking terrorism and terrorist activities," Shivpal said.

He alleged that BJP had no issues in Uttar Pradesh and it was "vitiating communal atmosphere for political gains".

Replying to the allegation of poor law and order condition in the state, the SP leader said it was "best in the country and people could roam freely without any fear".

The SP leader also said that the party workers have been warned against any misadventure.

"Every incident is worked out. We have given directions to our workers not to lose 'hosh' (sense) in 'josh' (enthusiasm) otherwise they will be dealt strictly," he said.

He also said that people of the state reposed faith in the SP in the recent district panchyat chairman polls. "SP candidates were elected on district panchyat chairman posts in 60 out of total 74 districts," he said.

When asked about action taken against party MLAs of Sitapur and Bijnor, who had fielded their kin in the poll, Shivpal said the national leadership will decide on their fate.

On BSP chief Mayawati's statement that SP's victory in the panchyat polls was "mockery of election process", Shivpal laughingly said that he would only like to wish her on her birthday (on January 15) in advance.