The temple dedicated to Lord Ram is the topic of a longstanding controversy in the country. The temple was situated in the town of Ayodhya, in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. The original temple was demolished by the Mughal Babar in the sixteenth century, and a mosque, now known as Babri Masjid, was built in its place. This mosque was demolished in 1992, by a procession of people belonging to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, an organization often seen as an ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which currently is in power in India.
Ayodhya is considered the birthplace of Ram. Though no historical records exist, the Ramcharitmanas and the Ramayana, two accounts of the story of Rama’s life, mention Ayodhya as the site of Ram’s birth. The Archaeological Survey of India has also conducted excavations in the area and has identified the remains of a temple that existed in the area prior to the mosque.
The Supreme Court is yet to settle the dispute as to whether and where a new temple can be built. The RSS and similar organizations have been bringing up the Ram temple issue with an eye on the elections due in the state in 2017. Rama is a very important figure in the Hindu way of life, especially in the northern part of the country. Supporting the construction of the temple might be seen favorably by Hindus, which would help the BJP gain an important advantage in the elections.
However, the government is seeking to play down the issue in order to prevent a communal flare up. The case has been pending for a while before the court, and voices from various quarters have asked for a speeding up of proceedings. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has himself not spoken on the issue, despite calls from both sides of the political spectrum to do so.
Union minister Kalraj Mishra said, “We must wait till the Supreme Court comes out with its verdict. Thereafter, depending upon the situation that emerges, the Centre will take a call on the issue.” Mishra also replied to a question on whether constructing the Ram temple was still on the BJP’s manifesto. There has been no change in BJP’s stand that Ram temple should be constructed at Ayodhya though we would proceed in a manner that is amenable to all.”
