Ram temple issue: In case of delay from SC, Govt will explore other options, says Ram Madhav

Ram Madhav said the Centre will wait for SC ruling on Ram Temple issue.

NEW DELHI: BJP leader Ram Madhav on Wednesday said that the option of taking the ordinance route on the Ram Temple issue is always open, but the government will wait for the Supreme Court to decide on the matter.

The BJP general secretary said that the Supreme Court is set to hear the Ram Jannmabhumi-Babri Masjid case from January 4 and expressed hope that the matter would be disposed of in a fast-track manner.

However, he warned that in case of a delay, the Government would be free to explore other options.

''The option of an ordinance has always been there. But the matter is right now in the Supreme Court. The top court has given a date of January 4 to decide about next bench. We are hoping that the SC will take it in fast-track way and conclude it early. If that’s not going to happen, we'll explore other options,'' Madhav said.

Ram Madhav,BJP on #RamTemple: Option of ordinance has always been there. But matter is right now in SC&SC has given a date of 4 Jan to decide about next bench. We hoping SC will take it in fast-track way&conclude it early.If that’s not going to happen, we'll explore other options pic.twitter.com/hBJeoZtq5V — ANI (@ANI) 26 December 2018

Commenting on the ongoing efforts by the non-BJP parties to stitch a Grand Alliance or Mahagathbandhan, Madhav said, ''If Rahul Gandhi could've been an option for PM candidate because of recent victories, then there would've been no need for a 'Mahagathbandhan'. Even today, no one, except MK Stalin (DMK), is ready to confirm the name of the leader of 'Mahagathbandhan'. There are at least 6 people in the queue to become PM.''

While also admitting that BJP's ties with some NDA constituents were not in good shape at the present, Madhav said that the party is trying to win new allies down south.

''Alliance politics is all about accommodation and adjustment and for that BJP is ready. It is true that certain smaller allies like Kushwaha (RLSP) have decided to leave us but we’re working on bringing new allies into our fold especially in South India and Eastern India,'' Madhav said.

The statement from Madhav came in the wake of the Babri Masjid Action Committee (BMAC) deciding to file a petition in the Supreme Court in case the Narendra Modi government at brings in an ordinance paving way for the construction of a grand Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

The statement from Madhav came in the wake of the Babri Masjid Action Committee (BMAC) deciding to file a petition in the Supreme Court in case the Narendra Modi government at brings in an ordinance paving way for the construction of a grand Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

A decision to this effect was taken by the BMAC during a meeting on Tuesday.

The top court had in October rejected an urgent hearing after the Uttar Pradesh government argued that it was a 100-year-old dispute that should be taken up on priority.

The decision to move the case to January was seen by many to have dimmed hopes for a verdict before the Lok Sabha election a few months hence.

It triggered loud demands for an ordinance within the BJP and various groups linked to its ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to pave way for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The apex court is scheduled to take up a batch of petitions for hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case on January 4. 

The matter is listed before a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice SK Kaul.

The bench is likely to constitute a three-judge bench for hearing as many as 14 appeals filed against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgement, delivered in four civil suits, that the 2.77-acre land be partitioned equally among three parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla. 

(With PTI inputs)