Congress Accuses BJP Of Polarising Ram Temple Issue Every Five Years

The Congress today accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of polarising views on the Ram Temple issue ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

"Well this is a familiar story. Every five years before elections, the BJP tries to polarise views on Ram Mandir," former Finance Minister P Chidambaram said at a press conference at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi.

The Supreme Court today directed listing of the Ayodhya temple matter in January for hearing.

"Congress party's position is that the matter is before Supreme Court and everyone should wait until SC decides... I don't think we should jump the gun," he said.

Mr Chidambaram was replying to a question on a statement by BJP President Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that the Supreme Court has given its judgement in the Sabarimala issue and Union Minister Giriraj Singh saying that the "patience" of Hindus was running out over the Ram temple issue.

When asked about the BJP alleging that the Congress was stalling the Supreme Court proceedings in the case, the Congress leader said, "If you make that statement in public it will be an order of contempt of the Supreme Court. So, my request is don't make that statement in public. The Supreme Court will decide when to hear the case. We don't decide when the court hears the case," he said.

Responding to a question over a demand for an ordinance for construction of the temple, Mr Chidambaram said, "It (the issue of ordinance) is decided by the executive government. If someone is asking for an ordinance, it is for the Prime Minister to respond, if he will respond at all to the issue," he added.