NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTION 99
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

VHP objects to Sushma's statement on Ayodhya

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad today took exception to a statement of Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Rajya Sabha member Sushma Swaraj describing Ayodhya as a ''political issue'' and asserted that it would soon launch an agitation to construct the Ram temple at the disputed site.

VHP international vice-president Acharya Giriraj Kishore said at a press conference that he was ''surprised'' by Swaraj's statement.

''I spoke to Ms Swaraj on phone after reading the statement but she said that she had been misquoted,'' he said.

Newspapers this morning quoted Swaraj as telling reporters in Bhopal that the movement for the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya was pure political in nature and had nothing to do with religion. She was also quoted as having said that the movement was primarily directed against ''pseudo-secularism.''

Acharya Giriraj Kishore asserted that Ayodhya movement was a matter of Hindu faith and sentiments and the VHP would launch an agitation headed by dharmacharyas (religious heads) for the construction of the temple. "It can be a political issue for the BJP or any other political party, but for us it a question of faith and sentiments."

He said even the court had agreed that certain issues like the birth of Lord Rama were out of its purview. The court could discuss only the ownership of the land under dispute, he said.

UNI

Back to top

Tell us what you think of this report