UP BJP chief vows to build Ram temple in Ayodhya

The newly appointed Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party president Surya Pratap Shahi visited the disputed site in Ayodhya on Friday and vowed to construct a Ram temple there, saying it was something related to the faith of crores of Hindus.

"The BJP is committed to the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya as it is a matter of faith and belief of crores of Hindus and not a political agenda of the party," Shahi told newspersons after offering prayers at the site. The day BJP forms its government both at the Centre and in the state, the path for construction of Ram temple would be cleared, he said.

The BJP leader, who also visited the 'Hanuman Garhi' temple said the emotions of crores of people had led to the demolition of the structure on December 6, 1992 and no particular party should be blamed for it. Shahi, who was made UP BJP chief on May 12, said he had been assigned the responsibility of the biggest state in the country during politically trying times and he had come here to seek the blessings of Lord Ram before embarking upon the task given to him.

Alleging that there was 'Ravan Raj' (Ravan's rule), both at the Centre and in the state with "insensitive" governments, Shahi said rampant corruption, inflation and terrorism have left the people frustrated.

Lashing out at his political opponents, Shahi said that despite publicly criticising each other, Congress, Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party had a tacit understanding and cited the support given by the latter two to the former during the cut motion in the Lok Sabha to make his point.

"All these parties are befooling the people of the state and country in the name of opposing each other," the state BJP chief said adding that the BJP was the only alternative to the Congress. He also charged the three parties with indirectly encouraging communal forces by advocating pseudo secularism. Holding the Congress responsible for rise in Naxal violence, Shahi said while running the government with the help of Left parties during its last tenure, the United Progressive Alliance had desisted from taking action against them which helped the Maoists gain strength and accused the Union government of still not taking strict measures to combat the menace.

To a question, Shahi said like the Congress, Samajwadi Party too has been promoting family members. Refuting reports of factionalism in the state unit of the party, Shahi said he would take every one along with him to strengthen the party. "Those who work dedicatedly to strengthen the party would be entitled for a ticket in the 2012 assembly elections," he said before leaving for Varanasi.