BJP seeks to pacify saints with Lord Rama statue

Caught in a bind following the deferment of the Ayodhya case by the Supreme Court and faced with increasing demand for a Parliamentary legislation for the construction of the Ram Temple, the BJP has sought to placate the restless saint community by erecting a huge statue of Lord Rama on the bank of the Saryu river in Ayodhya.

According to the sources in the state BJP, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath could make the announcement about the statue in Ayodhya on Tuesday during Diwali celebrations.

The 151-ft tall statue would come up on the bank of the Saryu river, sources said. Bids for the erecting the statue had been invited and the selection process was on.

BJP leaders admitted that the decision to erect the statue was aimed at placating the saint community in Ayodhya. ''The saints and seers in Ayodhya want the centre to bring a legislation in the winter session of the Parliament to pave the way for Ram Temple construction,'' said a senior UP BJP leader while speaking to Deccan Herald.

A section of the saints has warned the BJP that it may have to incur the wrath of the 'Ram Bhakts' (devotees of Rama) in the next Lok Sabha polls in 2019 if it does not ensure construction of the Ram Temple.

Adityanath also plans to announce a host of projects to develop the temple town and the announcements to this effect could also be made along with the declaration about the erection of the statue.

Sources said that the chief minister has made it clear to the saints that it was not possible for him to give any assurance on the construction of the Ram Temple.

State BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey had also said recently that Adityanath, who was a saint besides being the chief minister of the state, had ''some plan'' for Ayodhya.