Govt will take legislative route on Ram temple if court verdict not in favour: BJP leader

Bahraich (UP): BJP national secretary Sunil Deodhar said Sunday the government will take the legislative route to build a grand temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya if the verdict of the Supreme Court on the matter is not in favour.

The Supreme Court has set up a five-member Constitution bench to hear the politically-sensitive Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land title dispute.

Speaking to reporters after a party meet here, Deodhar said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that a temple will be built. Enacting a law (for constructing Ram temple) can be considered only after the verdict of the court. If the verdict of the Supreme Court is not in favour, then an ordinance will be enacted, and if the verdict of the apex court is favourable, then the temple will be definitely constructed." He said "when the case is going on in the Supreme Court, enacting an ordinance will not be constitutional".

 The senior BJP leader said that "our vaadaa (promise), iraadaa (determination) and niyat (intention) is that a grand temple for Lord Ram should be constructed at his birthplace."  "Hindutva and development are 'antarnihit' (inherent). Hindutva and development are two sides of the same coin. Hindutva is a way of life. Fighting for Hindutva means fighting for development, and fighting for development means fighting for Hindutva," he added.