JOIN USInteracting with a group of journalists here, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said his organisation would explore all legal and democratic means to build a “grand temple” in Ayodhya, an oft-repeated rhetoric that even the BJP has put in the back-burner since it led the NDA government at the Centre.
While there is some expectation of a political fallout, Bhagwat said the RSS would explore legal options depending on whether the court’s judgment meets its expectations.
‘Out-of-court’ settlement
The Lucknow bench will deliver the judgment on the Ram Janambhoomi title suit and decide who owns the 2.77 acres of disputed land on which the Babri mosque stood. But continuing its efforts to arrive at an ‘out-of-court’ settlement, the court has directed the lawyers of the parties to appear before it on September 17.
A bunch of public interest litigations (PILs), filed before the High Court on Monday seeking to defer the judgment and settlement of the issue through mutual negotiations, would also come up for hearing the same day. The PILs contended that the verdict “might lead to communal violence in the country” at a time when India was preparing for the Commonwealth Games.
But Bhagwat, reiterating his organisation’s stand that a temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi would be a symbol of national integration, said: “Often Muslims are said to be looking outside India for leadership. If they allow the temple to be built there, nobody would point a finger at them.”
Pointing out that the RSS would react to the verdict “when it comes”, he hinted that any of the parties involved in the case could move the Supreme Court if the Allahabad High Court’s judgement was contrary to expectations.
To repeated queries on apprehensions of a law and order situation arising in Ayodhya once the judgment is delivered, Bhagwat said the RSS’s response would be “within the limits of law, Constitution and the democratic way”.
When asked if the RSS was prepared to enter into a dialogue with the Babri Masjid Action Committee over the temple issue, he said his organisation was holding talks with religious leaders to blur the divide in society, but any dialogue on the Ram temple matter would be within the domain of the committee of “sants” who are leading the movement.