Mayawati attacks BJP, Sena on Ram temple issue

With the Sangh Parivar raising the pitch over Ayodhya, BSP chief Mayawati on Saturday attacked the BJP and the Shiv Sena for raising the Ram Temple issue ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, saying it is a "political tactic" to divert attention from their failures.

Mayawati suggested all parties should wait for the Supreme Court order on the issue as it is still pending before it.

"To divert attention from their failures, they raised Ram Mandir issue. Had their intentions been good they needn't have waited for five years. It's their political tactic, nothing else. Whatever their associates like Shiv Sena and VHP are doing is part of their conspiracy," she said.

Separately, six Left parties announced that it will host December 6, the death anniversary of B R Ambedkar as well the anniversary of the demolition of Babri Masjid as 'Defend the Constitution and Secularism Day'.

The parties – CPM, CPI, Forward Bloc, RSP, CPI(ML)L and SUCI(C) -- said December 6 marks the 26th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid and in the current situation, it is "essential to observe" this day in defence of secularism and democracy.

"The RSS led outfits have begun a campaign to demand that the Central government pass a legislation/ordinance to facilitate the building of the Ram Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya, bypassing the Supreme Court. This campaign is designed to subserve the communal agenda of the Sangh Brigade and nullify the provisions relating to secularism in the Indian Constitution," a joint statement said.

It said the Left parties were strongly opposed to this effort to "subvert" the judicial verdict on the Ayodhya dispute. "The Sangh Brigade cannot be allowed to subvert the Constitutional provisions in the name of faith," it said.

"The Left parties call upon all its units to mobilise to observe December 6, also Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s death anniversary, as `Defend the Constitution and Secularism Day’. All state units should work out programmes of holding joint demonstrations, dharnas and meetings," it added.