Ayodhya: Dharam Sabha boost to VHP amid Sena surge bid

Shiv Sena chief Udhav Thackeray’s visit to Ayodhya, his aggressive overtures to the seers, attacks on the BJP government and demand for a definite date for construction of Ram temple appear to have made the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) uncomfortable a bit.

However, the confidence expressed in VHP by some seers at the ‘Dharam Sabha’ gave it the much need confidence after Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut took complete credit for demolition of Babri mosque on December 6, 1992.

“We demolished Babri mosque in 17 minutes. How long will BJP take in bringing a law for construction of the Ram temple,” Raut had said on Friday

But Swami Parmanand Saraswati, in his concluding remark after presiding over the Dharam Sansad, said: “We have complete faith in the VHP that has taken the temple moment to this stage by holding ‘bhoomi pujan’ etc. When the Babri mosque was demolished they were there on the top. I was there till the demolition of the mosque and will remain witness to the construction of Ram temple.”

The VHP has been spearheading the Ram temple moment unchallenged so far at least in the Hindi belt, its mass support base. Its workshops, set up to carve stones for the temple, have become centres for pilgrimage in Ayodhya.

VHP president Ashok Singhal’s death, the Shiv Sena’s anti-BJP stance and former VHP leader Praveen Togadia’s attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi have taken the focus away from the VHP to some extent despite the open support of RSS to the organisation.

The VHP has been accused of consistently raising the Ram temple before elections for political gains and refraining from targeting the BJP leadership on the issue. By announcing to take issues concerning Kashi, Mathura and other temples demolished by Mughal rulers again on its agenda, the VHP obviously wants to reassure its cadres and the people that it has not softened it agenda of pursuing the Hindu cause.