JALANDHAR, Punjab—Exposing the so-called secularism of Congress, Punjab Congress Campaign Committee chairperson Rajinder Kaur Bhattal said the Congress had no objection to the the long time effort of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for construction of a Ram Temple at Ayodhya .
BJP, the saffron party, and other wings of Rashtrya Swemsevak Sangh (RSS) forcibly abolished the Babri Mosque in 1991 and announced their intention to build the Temple on same site. This act of RSS has left the Muslim heart severely injured. Since then, BJP has promised to construct Ram Temple, if it formed the government at the Center.
Bhattal said her party would not oppose if BJP doing so. She, however, condemned the BJP for “politicizing” the issue during every election.
While leading a road show in Jalandhar carried out in favor of party candidate Chaudhary Santokh Singh, Bhattal said, “Ram Temple is a matter of faith for the people and we respect that. But it is unfortunate that the BJP has again made an attempt to draw political mileage from the issue by mentioning it in its election manifesto.”
The former Punjab CM asked why Ram Temple has not been built when the BJP has been in power at the Center for six years. She demanded that Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Badal clarify his party’s stand on the abrogation of Article 370.
Terming the SAD-BJP alliance “unholy”, Bhattal said both parties were “communal” and “opportunist”. There are several issues on which the two disagreed, but they have forged an alliance only to grab power, she added.
