According to media reports, the central government is likely to make some big announcement with regard to the Ram Mandir issue. Considering the inordinate delay on the part of the judiciary, the government may turn the table by the means of an ordinance on the Ram Mandir issue.
Earlier, it was announced that the next hearing on the issue will commence on January 29. The Supreme Court (SC) constituted a fresh bench of judges to look into the matter. But, Justice S A Bobde, who is the part of the newly-formed bench, would not be present on Tuesday; hence a new date will be allotted for the hearing. The constant dilly-dallying of the SC in the case (as the hearing is deferred again) has reportedly not gone down well with the centre. According to media reports, it is very likely that the government may announce the Ordinance route for Ram Mandir this week.
Lately, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath’s statement was too indicative of the fact. In the latest interview to the Editor-in-Chief of India TV, Rajat Sharma, UP CM hinted that there was a concerted effort to delay the Ram Mandir case. Taking a decisive stance, Yogi further added, “The patience of people on Ram temple is fast running out” and “if the Supreme Court finds itself unable to give an early verdict on Ayodhya dispute, it should hand it over to us. We will resolve the ‘Ram Janmabhoomi’ dispute within 24 hours”.
This is not the first time that Yogi openly came out in the support of Ram Mandir. Earlier, in June Last year, UP CM emphasized the need for the construction of Ram Mandir. At the gathering of 80th Birthday celebrations of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das who is the head of Mani Ram Das Chawni Peeth, CM Yogi was vocal about the issue of Ram Mandir. As reported by Indian Express, while addressing a “Sant Sammelan” in Ayodhya, Yogi said, “Lord Ram is the master of this universe. It is obvious that when Ayodhya has his blessings, the Ram temple would be built in Ayodhya… there should be no doubt about this (sic)”.
Various leaders of the BJP or the Hindu organisations have time and again raised their voice in support of the Ram Mandir. Earlier, BJP leader Manoj Tiwari and Rajya Sabha MP Rakesh Sinha too had proposed the ordinance route. The Ram temple issue is indeed an important matter as it pertains to the faith of millions of Hindus and this delay in resolution is tantamount to willfully hurting the sentiments of Hindus. The long legal delay seems unwarranted as there are multiple pieces of evidence for Ram Temple. For now, it seems ordinance is the only way towards Ram temple and the government must act before it’s too late. The timing to go for the ordinance route could have not been more favorable.
As far as the opposition parties are concerned, given the recent attempt of ‘Hindu appeasement’ by Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, and others, if the government decides to take an ordinance route then the opposition would be in a catch 22 situation. Any protest by the opposition against the Ram Temple ordinance would expose their opportunism. It would further bolster the notion that their sudden love for Hinduism is all because of the upcoming general elections and to woo Hindu voters.