'Construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya is mandatory'

Amid protests outside the Delhi University, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy went ahead with a seminar on the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya where he asserted that nothing will be done forcibly or against the law.

"Construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya is 'mandatory' for revival of our culture. We have started and we will not give up until it is made but nothing will be done forcibly and against the law. We have full faith that we will win in the court," he said in his inaugural address at the two-day seminar.

Claiming that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had promised him of support for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Swamy appealed to Congress to come forward and support the cause.

"Rajiv Gandhi had personally told me that Ram Mandir will be built and whenever he will get an opportunity he will also help and the first help he did was that despite party opposition, he started the television serial on Ramayana which created a new excitement in public," he said.

"He had said they will permit the foundation laying, too. He had also said in his campaign for 1989 elections that there should be Ram Rajya in the country. I hope the Congress will also come forward and support as this is not just our demand but that of the country," he added.

Swamy had earlier this week said that the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya would begin by this year-end with the cooperation of the Muslim community.

"In our country, over 40,000 temples have been demolished, we never say that all those should be reconstructed...but there cannot be a compromise on three of them -- Ram Janmabhoomi temple, Krishna temple in Mathura and Kashivishwanath, if Ram Temple is constructed there will be easy way for others, discussions can be done but not compromise," he said.

"Ram Mandir is an aim for us. And when the Muslims leaders had committed that if it is proved that there was temple earlier, they will let us reconstruct it there, not fulfilling that commitment can be contempt of court," he added.

The two-day seminar titled "Shri Ram Janma Bhoomi Temple: Emerging Scenario" is being organised at DU's Arts Faculty by Arundhati Vashishtha Anusandhan Peeth, a research organisation founded by late VHP leader Ashok Singhal.

There was strong opposition from the student groups to DU's decision for allowing such a seminar alleging it would "communalise" the campus and push "saffron agenda".

The protesters including that from left-affiliated student wings AISA, DSF, SFI and Congress-affiliate NSUI, staged demonstrations outside the protest venue and were detained later.

Swamy, who is the chairman of AVAP, delivered the inaugural address at the seminar which will see historians, archaeologists and law experts discussing various topics including "Lord Ram's character and values, and their impact on Indian culture", "History of the Ram temple and related archaeological findings", "Legal issues around Ram temple" and "Experience and future of Ram temple".