Chidambaram mocking Ram temple, Patel statue: BJP

The BJP on Monday hit out at senior Congress leader P Chidambaram over his remarks that after having delivered nothing in the past five years, the saffron party is making “new promise for grand temples, giant statues and doles”.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad accused the former finance minister of "mocking" the "Ram temple initiative" and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's statue, terming his remarks as "highly irresponsible and very provocative".

He also asked whether Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who visits temples and portrays himself as a 'Shiv Bhakt', approves of a senior leader of his party making such comments.

Prasad objected to Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge drawing a parallel between Modi and Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler and said it was due to the party's frustration and its impending defeat in the coming elections.

At a time when a number of BJP leaders including some Union ministers have come out in support of legislation for the Ram temple, a top government functionary on Monday indicated that the government is not disinclined for Parliamentary intervention to pave the way for construction of temple at Ayodhya if the Supreme Court is not deciding the matter.

A senior functionary said that Parliament is very much empowered to bring a law on a matter pending before the apex court by making changes on the basis of the case. The functionary, however, did not elaborate further.

Former Supreme Court judge Justice Justi Chelameswar had also said a few days back that going by the history, it is possible to bring the law on the Ram Temple.