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BJP rejects VHP demand for special Parliament session
New Delhi, Sept 16: BJP today rejected the VHP demand to convene a special session of Parliament to bring a legislation for construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya saying, there is `not enough support and consensus` on the issue.
New Delhi, Sept 16: BJP today rejected the VHP demand to convene a special session of Parliament to bring a legislation for construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya saying, there is "not enough support and consensus" on the issue.
"There is no possibility of calling a special session of Parliament to take up legislation on Ayodhya as there is not enough support and consensus on the issue in Parliament or among the NDA," party president M Venkaiah Naidu told.
Pointing out that the BJP did not wish the legislation to be defeated, he said such an eventuality would not be in the interest of the Ramjanabhoomi movement.
Naidu said BJP is certainly for construction of the temple but "we cannot force our allies on the issue". The stated position of different political parties on the matter is widely known and there is no indication of any change on it, he added.
The BJP chief's comments come a day after Vishwa Hindu Parishad gave an ultimatum to the government to convene the session by October 15 to bring the legislation, failing which it would launch a movement.
Naidu said Congress has no right to criticise BJP on Ram temple issue as it was that party which had got the temple opened and allowed 'shilanayas' even when the matter was pending in court.
He said P V Narasimha Rao as Prime Minister had made a public commitment from Red Fort in 1993 that the government would reconstruct the Babri structure and now Congress is saying the court verdict should be awaited.
"If this is not double standard and double speak, then what is it ?" the BJP president asked.
Naidu alleged that vote bank politics of Congress was responsible for frequent communal tension in the country.
Though there was wide-spread support for construction of the temple, Naidu said the issue had received a morale boost with findings of Archaeological Survey of India that a 10th century temple existed below the disputed structure.
He, however, said the position in Parliament was such that there were not enough numbers to get the legislation approved.
Bureau Report
"There is no possibility of calling a special session of Parliament to take up legislation on Ayodhya as there is not enough support and consensus on the issue in Parliament or among the NDA," party president M Venkaiah Naidu told.
Pointing out that the BJP did not wish the legislation to be defeated, he said such an eventuality would not be in the interest of the Ramjanabhoomi movement.
Naidu said BJP is certainly for construction of the temple but "we cannot force our allies on the issue". The stated position of different political parties on the matter is widely known and there is no indication of any change on it, he added.
The BJP chief's comments come a day after Vishwa Hindu Parishad gave an ultimatum to the government to convene the session by October 15 to bring the legislation, failing which it would launch a movement.
Naidu said Congress has no right to criticise BJP on Ram temple issue as it was that party which had got the temple opened and allowed 'shilanayas' even when the matter was pending in court.
He said P V Narasimha Rao as Prime Minister had made a public commitment from Red Fort in 1993 that the government would reconstruct the Babri structure and now Congress is saying the court verdict should be awaited.
"If this is not double standard and double speak, then what is it ?" the BJP president asked.
Naidu alleged that vote bank politics of Congress was responsible for frequent communal tension in the country.
Though there was wide-spread support for construction of the temple, Naidu said the issue had received a morale boost with findings of Archaeological Survey of India that a 10th century temple existed below the disputed structure.
He, however, said the position in Parliament was such that there were not enough numbers to get the legislation approved.
Bureau Report