BJP's hoardings with 'Ramlala' draws Opposition criticism

The opposition parties accused the BJP of trying to gain electoral mileage out of the Ram temple issue and bring communal angle to the polls

Hoardings with pictures of 'Ramlala in tent' and the model of 'Ram Temple' with the BJP's election symbol came up at several parts of Ayodhya ahead of the forthcoming Assembly polls, triggering controversy and inviting sharp criticism from the opposition parties.

The hoardings carried two pictures — one showing 'Ramlala' in the tent and the other showing the model of the Ram Temple and the symbol of the BJP — with the headline saying "fark saaf hai" (the difference is clear).

''The difference is clear...earlier the Ramlala was in the tent and now the construction of the Ram temple is going on,'' said the hoardings.

According to the reports, one such hoarding has been put up near the house of Iqbal Ansari, who was one of the main plaintiffs in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid Title suits.

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The opposition parties took strong exception to the hoardings and accused the BJP of trying to gain electoral mileage out of the Ram temple issue. ''BJP is staring at defeat in the forthcoming assembly polls and that is why it has been trying to communalise the elections,'' said former Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Pawan Pandey.

''BJP does not have anything to show to the people...the state government did precious little for the welfare of the people...prices are rising...the BJP has fallen back on emotive issues,'' Pandey said.

Local Congress leader Sharad Shukla said that the Ram temple construction was being carried out after the Supreme Court verdict on the issue. ''BJP has nothing to do with Ram temple construction...it is an attempt to mislead the people....the Election Commission should take cognisance of the hoardings,'' Shukla said.

BJP legislator from Ayodhya Vedprakash Gupta said that there was nothing wrong in putting up the hoardings. ''The opposition leaders can not digest the development of Ayodhya...BJP was in power when the SC verdict was delivered; BJP is in power when the Ram Temple is being constructed,'' Gupta said.

Saffron party leaders have been referring to the Ram temple in their speeches at public meetings in the run-up to the assembly polls.

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