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Govt may fall on temple
issue, warns VHP: PTI

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad Tuesday talked tough on construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and issued a veiled warning to the Vajpayee Government that it may fall on the issue.

VHP President Ashok Singhal also made it clear that the deadline of March 12, 2002 set by the Dharam Sansad (religious parliament) was serious and that the government could ignore it only at its own peril.

"There could be mid-term elections if secularists (the Bharatiya Janata Party's allies) withdraw support to the National Democratic Alliance Government on the Ram temple issue.

"Under the circumstances, if the government has to fall on the issue, so be it," he said in an interview to PTI here.

Maintaining that the fall of the government on the temple issue would "indeed be unfortunate", Singhal said the "Sant Samaj also does not want another mid-term poll''.

The VHP leader said the Dharam Sansad has given a deadline to the government to take necessary measures to remove "impediments" in the way of temple construction and it was committed not to back out on the decisions of the sants.

On whether the VHP could review its temple action plan in case there was a threat to the Vajpayee Ggovernment, he said, "We are tied to the sants and not to the government.''

Criticising the Vajpayee Government for following a "policy of drift" on the temple issue, Singhal said, "The government is responsible for its acts of omission and commission. The VHP or the sadhu samaj has nothing to do with the political fall-out on the issue."

He said Parliament should enact a legislation paving the way for transfer of the acquired land at Ayodhya to Hindus before the deadline so that the construction could start on any auspicious day after March 12 next year.

"Parliament will have to pass such a legislation either today or tomorrow," he said, adding, "A mosque cannot be built there. That is for sure."

The VHP leader accused the Vajpayee Government of toeing the line of previous governments and "doing nothing" about evolving a strategy to resolve the vexed issue.

He said concerted efforts should be made to expedite the pending court case. Suggesting creation of a Ayodhya cell in the Prime Minister's Office or home ministry, he said it could help expedite the judicial process on the Ram temple issue.

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