Hindu group demands survey of Jama Masjid, Delhi

The Hindu Sena’s national president, Vishnu Gupta, has written to the director general of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), demanding an investigation into the origins of Delhi’s Jama Masjid. Gupta alleges that the iconic mosque, commissioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and completed in 1656, was constructed on the ruins of Hindu temples from Jodhpur and Udaipur, which were supposedly destroyed by Aurangzeb. He further claims that idols of Hindu deities were incorporated into the mosque’s structure, with some intentionally buried under the stairs to disrespect Hindu religious sentiments. Calling for a detailed survey, Gupta insists that the mosque’s “true history” must be unearthed and any remnants of the alleged temples preserved and publicly disclosed.

In his letter, Gupta wrote that “alleged Jama Masjid, Delhi was constructed after demolition of hundreds of temples of Jodhpur and Udaipur, and using the remains of those temples including the idols of deity in the stairs of said mosque to humiliate the Hindus by Mughal invader Aurangzeb.”

Vishnu Gupta called for the preservation of any remains found during the survey and insisted that these findings be made public to reveal the true history of the mosque, and stated that “your office is requested to survey the Jama Masjid, Delhi so that the idols of our deities can b preserved and concrete steps can be taken to install them in the temple and the truth about Aurangzeb can be revealed to the world.”

The ASI has not commented on the matter so far.

Jama Masjid, also known as Masjid-i Jehan-Numa, is among the largest and most celebrated mosques in India, renowned for its architectural grandeur. Constructed with red sandstone and white marble, it can host 25,000 worshippers in its vast courtyard and remains a central religious, cultural, and tourist destination. Its majestic gates, domes, and minarets have long stood as symbols of India’s rich architectural legacy and pluralistic history. However, claims such as those made by Gupta, often unsupported by concrete evidence, risk undermining this legacy by injecting communal narratives into heritage discussions.

This demand for a survey is part of a broader pattern of targeting Muslim religious and cultural sites under the pretext of historical revisionism. Such actions, often driven by ideological motivations rather than genuine scholarly inquiry, have the potential to disrupt communal harmony. They create unnecessary fissures in a society already grappling with sensitive interfaith dynamics, converting spaces of shared cultural pride into arenas of discord.

Details of the other Mosques against which petitions for survey are pending may be referred to here.

Repeated attempts to discredit Muslim heritage sites not only foster mistrust but also distract from more pressing societal challenges. These narratives risk polarising public opinion, encouraging disharmony, and eroding the spirit of coexistence that forms the foundation of India’s secular identity. These attacks by the far-right organisations do not only remain limited to courts, but also extend to creating chaos in the society.

Students recite Hanuman Chalisa near campus Mosque, Varanasi

Tensions flared at Uday Pratap College in Varanasi on Tuesday as hundreds of students gathered near a mosque on campus and recited the Hanuman Chalisa. This provocative act followed a large gathering of Muslims offering namaz at the mosque on Friday, reigniting a longstanding controversy over the ownership of the land on which the mosque is situated. The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board had, six years ago, claimed the mosque and adjoining land as Waqf property. However, the college rejected the claim, asserting that the entire campus belonged to an endowment trust. Principal D.K. Singh reiterated this position, stating the Waqf Board’s claim had been invalidated.

The situation escalated on Tuesday despite significant police presence, including senior officers, Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), and barricades aimed at preventing students from approaching the mosque. The students managed to break through the security enclosures, chanting “Jai Shri Ram” as they marched towards the mosque. Although ACP (Law and Order) S. Chinappa attempted to dissuade the students, they persisted, ultimately reciting the Hanuman Chalisa from a distance, according to DCP (Varuna Zone) Chandrakant Meena.

The Waqf Board clarified that its December 2018 notice claiming the mosque and surrounding land as Waqf property was cancelled in January 2021. In a letter responding to the Anjuman Intezamia Masajid committee, the board’s law officer, Abdul Mobin Khan, confirmed the revocation of the notice issued under Section 36(7) of the Waqf Act, 1995. The notice, initially issued on the basis of claims by Varanasi resident Wasim Ahmed Khan, had alleged the land was donated by the Nawab of Tonk. The college, however, maintained that the mosque was illegally constructed and that the trust-owned property was not for sale or transfer.

Principal Singh also recalled an earlier dispute in 2022 when an attempt by the Waqf Board to build a mosque on the campus was stopped following a police intervention. Despite the Waqf Board’s clarification, the issue resurfaced in 2024, prompting renewed tensions and confusion. The Anjuman Intezamia Masajid committee’s joint secretary, S.M. Yasin, welcomed the board’s prompt response, expressing relief that the matter had been resolved.

While the ownership issue appears legally settled, the students’ act of reciting the Hanuman Chalisa near the mosque highlights a worrying trend of using religious symbolism to assert dominance and provoke tensions. Such actions, under the guise of cultural expression, risk undermining social harmony and inflaming communal divisions. The ability of the students to bypass security despite heavy police deployment raises questions about enforcement and the motives behind such organised displays. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for responsible engagement on sensitive religious matters, especially in a diverse and pluralistic society like India.

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Justice RM Joshi of the Aurangabad bench granted the stay on the impugned order by observing that, prima facie, the DM passed the order without being satisfied that there is likelihood of breach of peace, making the order not sustainable in law. In view of this, the HC Bench directed that the mosque keys be handed over to the Jumma Masjid Trust Committee by Jalgaon District Collector Aman Mittal.

“Prima facie perusal of the order impugned shows that there is no finding recorded about the Authority being satisfied that there is likelihood of breach of peace on account of alleged dispute…Section 144 of Cr.P.C no doubt provides the powers to the District Magistrate even to take suo moto action, however, existence of likelihood of causing of disturbance of public peace or tranquility is sine qua non to assume such power. In prima facie opinion of this Court for want of such findings being recorded makes impugned order vulnerable and not sustainable in law”, the court stated in its order, as provided by LiveLaw.

Pandavwada Sangharsh Samiti (PSS), an unregistered Hindu organisation that first brought up the issue and filed the complaint with the DM on May 2023, asserted that the mosque in question resembles a temple and accused the local Muslim community of encroaching upon the said structure. The Jumma Masjid Trust Committee, which is in charge of maintaining the mosque, asserted that it has papers demonstrating that the structure has existed since at least 1861.

The authorities opposing the plea further argued that the Collector’s order was only interim and not final, and that a thorough hearing had been scheduled before the final decision was issued. The court overruled the authorities’ argument that the petition could not be maintained on the ground of existence of alternate remedy.  

“Perusal of the relevant provisions do not show that any appeal is provided against interim order passed by District Magistrate under Section 144(1) of Cr.P.C. The remedy of filing an application before the same authority or before the State Government for alteration of the order cannot be equated with an Appeal. Hence, prima facie this Court finds that for want of efficacious remedy Petition is tenable and hence, there is no substance in the objection raised regarding maintainability of the Petition”, the court held, as reported by the LiveLaw.

Making the aforementioned observation, the court issued notice to the respondents and posted the matter for further hearing on August 1, 2023.

Brief background of the issue:

The dispute over the structure’s ownership and purpose has been ongoing since the 1980s, with Hindutva groups claiming association with the Pandavas, who were believed to have spent years in exile in the area. The current situation arose from a complaint submitted by Prasad Madhusudan Dandawate of the PSS to the District Magistrate on May 18. It is essential to note that Dandawate is also a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal. As provided by the report of the Wire, the complainant had claimed that the mosque was “illegally” built over a Hindu place of worship and that it should be taken over by state authorities.

As claimed by the Trust in the current case, notice was issued to it based on the complaint and a hearing was scheduled for June 27. However, the hearing did not occur as the DM was preoccupied. 

On July 11, the DM issued an interim restraining order under Sections 144 and 145 of the CrPC and directed the tahsildar to take charge of the mosque. Thus, the petitioner Trust approached the High Court against this order.

On July 13, a division bench of Justices RG Avachat and SA Deshmukh had observed that a single-judge bench would handle the matter since the order was passed by the quasi-judicial authority of the District Magistrate under the CrPC.

Related:

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Paving a path for a more tolerant India, Muslim woman is seen offering Namaz in a Gurudwara

The post Bombay HC: 2 weeks stay on order restraining offering of Namaz at an 800-year-old Jumma Masjid appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Press release

• Imam Bukhari is a sexist
• OK for boys to loiter, not OK for girls?
• Women have equal right to sacred spaces
• Open all mosques to Muslim women

Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy (IMSD) condemns the blatant sexism of Imam Bukhari of Delhi’s Shahi Jama Masjid, even as it welcomes his decision since to remove the boards prohibiting Muslim girls from entering the precincts of the mosque.

The earlier decision to put up the notice board was sought to be explained on the ground that Muslim girls ‘loiter’ around the mosque’s sprawling compound. Presumably it’s OK for boys to loiter, not OK for girls. Such an attitude reeks of a patriarchal mindset.

The imam has sought to clarify that the do-not-enter directive did not apply to women who were welcome as before to pray at the mosque. We appreciate the clarification since IMSD has consistently supported the right of women from all religions to equal access to all sacred spaces on par with men.

Muslim women have prayed inside the mosques in Mecca and Medina from the time of Prophet Mohammed. They continue to do so even today in Saudi Arabia and much of the Arab world, the land of Islam’s birth.

Given this, it is the height of irony that in much of the Indian sub-continent (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh) Muslim men have kept the doors of mosques shut for Muslim women. IMSD welcomes the fact that in recent years some Muslim religious bodies have started creating space for women inside mosques. It demands that ALL mosques open their doors similarly.

Statement issued by:
Javed Anand, Convener, IMSD               
Feroze Mithiborwala Coconvener, IMSD

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The Jama Masjid administration in Delhi has issued an order, imposing a ban on the entry of girls/women coming alone or in a group. PRO Sabiullah Khan says, “There is no restriction on girls/women coming with families, no restriction on married couples either.” 

He added, “Women’s entry not banned. When women comealone-improper acts done, videos shot. Ban is to stop this. No restrictions on families/married couples. Making this place a meeting point is wrong for religious places. 

The Jama Masjid PRO also said that the restriction does not apply to women coming with their families or husband. The Jama Masjid administration in Delhi has rhrough this unconstitutional act, banned the entry of women coming alone to the mosque. The diktat has triggered an outrage.

The PRO further said that the restriction has been imposed in order to check “improper acts” in the mosque premises.

“Women’s entry is not banned. Improper acts are done when women come alone, they shoot TikTok videos and dance. The ban is to stop this. There is no restriction on families/married couples. Making it a meeting point for boys and girls inapt for religious places,” Sabiullah Khan, Jama Masjid PRO told ANI.
 

#WATCH| Delhi|Women’s entry not banned. When women come alone-improper acts done, videos shot,ban is to stop this. No restrictions on families/married couples.Making it a meeting point inapt for religious places:Sabiullah Khan,Jama Masjid PRO on entry of women coming alone banned pic.twitter.com/HiOebKaiGr

— ANI (@ANI) November 24, 2022

Meanwhile, DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal expressed strong discontent to the ban, and has issued a notice to the Imam of the Jama Masjid over the issue.
 

जामा मस्जिद में महिलाओं की एंट्री रोकने का फ़ैसला बिलकुल ग़लत है। जितना हक एक पुरुष को इबादत का है उतना ही एक महिला को भी। मैं जामा मस्जिद के इमाम को नोटिस जारी कर रही हूँ। इस तरह महिलाओं की एंट्री बैन करने का अधिकार किसी को नहीं है।

— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) November 24, 2022

Details:

“Women’s entry (is) not banned. When women come alone… improper acts are done, videos are shot… and the ban is to stop this. No restrictions on families/married couples,” Jama Masjidpress officer Sabiullah Khan said, according to news agency ANI.

Reports indicate there are already signs outside the masjidinforming visitors that unaccompanied women are not allowed.

Each of the three entrances reportedly have such a signboard; each says, “Girls/women are not allowed to enter Jama Masjidalone.”

“There is no restriction on the entry of women. The restriction is for women who come here alone, give time to men, do wrong things, and make videos. Right now, there are several women here. If you come with family, there is no ban, if you are a married couple, there is no ban. But making this a meeting point, treating it like a park, dancing, and making TikTok videos are not acceptable in any place of worship, be it a temple, a masjid, or a gurdwara. Our aim behind the ban is that the masjid is used only as a place of worship,” Khan said.

A sign board that says a single woman or a group of single women cannot enter the premises has also been put up. This is in addition to a signboard that says mucus video shoots are strictly prohibited.

In 2019, the Jama Masjid administration had banned shooting videos with music inside the mosque. The administration had also constituted a team of 10 people to catch youngsters making videos and stop them.

At the time the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Maulana SyedAhmed Bukhari, had told The Indian Express, “During prayer time, that is five times a day, namazis and non-namazis can access the two small domes only through the main dome route. We want to restrict the area occupied by people so that we can keep a watch on youngsters making such videos as music is not allowed inside a masjid…”.

“I know about the TikTok craze amongst youngsters but never before had such videos shot at Jama Masjid come to my notice. In the last one month, at least five such videos have come to my notice. Whether it’s a temple or a mosque or a gurdwara, one cannot behave in this manner. This is a place of worship, not meant for such activities,” he had said.

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The Dasna Devi Temple priest and Hate Offender Yati Narsinghanand who had shared a video, earlier this week, claiming to visit Jama Masjid in Delhi on June 17, is now under house arrest.

In the hate instigating video, he claimed that he wanted to show Muslims what the Quran and Islamic history say about Prophet Muhammad. He said, in the video, “We are not lying. We are only stating what has already been written in their books… The way these people (Muslims) are spreading jihad meaning Islamic Terrorism is inspired by their books!” He further adds, “It is so shameful that this country has become a slave to Islam… people may have accepted it but it is not acceptable to me. I know they will kill me if I go there, but it is better to die rather than living with so much disrespect.”

He expressed support for BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma who has been suspended for making remarks against Prophet Muhammad on a News channel debate show.

The video maybe viewed here: 

On Monday, UP’s Ghaziabad administration issued notice to Yati Narsinghanand at his residence at Dasna Devi Temple, asking him to cancel the visit to Jama Masjid stating that it could disturb communal harmony. The administration even warned him of legal action if such offensive and hate instigating statements were made that could disturb communal harmony.

The notice may be viewed here: 

This is not the first time Yati Narsinghanand has made the news for his offensive remarks. Recently in an interview, with respect to the treatment given to Uyghur Muslims in China, he said, “We must learn from China. They have claimed Islam to be a mental illness. I completely support this. We need to save our country from becoming an Islamic nation. The rate at which Muslim population is growing, it may so happen that Hindus have nowhere to go.”

The video maybe viewed here: 

[English Caption]

Hindu extremist leader Yati Narsinghanand says that Indian should follow the Chinese model of Uyghur genocide. pic.twitter.com/wsUflDhCpO

— HindutvaWatch (@HindutvaWatchIn) June 15, 2022

It is pertinent to note that Yati Narsinghanand was in judicial custody for two cases; the first was for making calls for genocide at the Haridwar Dharam Sansad (December 2021), and the second was for making alleged offensive and derogatory remarks on Muslim women. He was granted bail in the former by the Sessions court and the same judge granted him bail in the case where he made derogatory remarks against Muslim women and that too on similar grounds.

In the case of remarks made against Muslim women, Narsinghanand had made objectionable/derogatory and indecent comments on social media directed towards them. After his comments went viral on social media, there was widespread condemnation. Subsequently, he was charged under Section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage reli­gious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or reli­gious beliefs) and Section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

It may also be recalled that the controversial priest had by then already secured bail in the Haridwar Dharma Sansad case, where he along with others had allegedly issued calls for Muslim genocide. After being charged under Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage reli­gious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or reli­gious beliefs) of the IPC, he was granted bail on February 7 by judge Bharat Bhushan Pandey of the Haridwar Sessions Court.

Then again in April, an FIR was registered against him, who raised hate speeches along with other speakers in violation of his bail conditions, at a “Hindu Mahapanchayat” held in Delhi on Sunday, April 3, 2022. This hate speech was peppered with fake claims such as “50% of Hindus will convert in 20 years if a Muslim becomes the prime minister of the country” and calling Hindus to “take up arms”.

Thereafter, another video surfaced online where Yati was once again spotted targeting Hindu women and men for not having enough children. In the said video, he called single children “insects and worms”, and said men who father only one child “are not men, they are a burden on earth.” However he had saved the worst for women, saying they were “not doing the work of mothers, you are doing the work of serpents.”

Related:

Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati: The loudest hate monger against Muslims?
Dharam Sansad: Hate monger Yati Narsinghanand granted bail
Yati Narsinghanand granted Bail in Case of ‘Derogatory Remarks’ Against Women
Hate Offender Yati Narsinghanand violates bail conditions, calls for communal violence
Yati Narsinghanand calls Hindu women snakes for not having enough children

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‘Yogi’ Devnath of Gujarat, probably wants to be as famous as the saffron clad monk-politician Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. However, Devnath of Gujarat, is at best, a diet version of Adityanath. Though he has started to mouth lines loved by the Hindutva camp, purportedly in the hope it will make him relevant in poll-bound  Gujarat, he does not come close to the CM, often seen as the political successor of Prime Minister Naredra Modi, who, interestingly, hails from Gujarat. 

Devnath is perhaps hoping to get the attention of the Prime Minister who resides in Delhi, the National Capital through which the Yamunna flows. Devnath has now said Delhi’s Jama Masjid, is “our Jamuna Mandir”. 

जामा मस्जीद नही वो ज़मुना मन्दिर है हमारा ?

— Yogi Devnath (@YogiDevnath2) May 14, 2022

The world renowned Jama Masjid of Delhi, formally named Masjid-i Jehan-Numa, is said to be one of the largest mosques in India. It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between 1650 and 1656, and is in Chandni Chowk. Ironically Devnath, in his claim, is not even original. He is merely parroting the old lines used by other Hindutva leaders such as Bharatiya Janata Party (BKP) leader MP Vinay Katiyar who had claimed in 2017 that “Delhi’s Jama Masjid was known as Jamuna Devi Temple before the capital was sacked by Mughals.” That the 17th-century mosque was built by Shah Jahan, who also built Taj Mahal, and Red Fort, was perhaps an added thorn in the right-wing’s side. Katiyar had then claimed that “there were about 6,000 places that were broken down by the Mughal emperors. Delhi’s Jama Masjid was originally Jamuna Devi temple, Taj Mahal was Tejo Mahalaya.”

However Devnath, who on his own website described his “LIFE ARCHIVEMENT (original spelling)” to list his posts of “Mahant Shri Ekaldham Ashram; Chairman Shri Kutch Sadhu Samaj, Incharge Hindu Yuva Vahini Gujarat, Member Akhil Bharat Sadhu Samaj, Active activist Bharatiya Janata Party (25 years)”, does not even have an original ‘controversy to call his own’. 

Hailing from Rajasthan, Devnath has claimed he has been a monk since he was 12, and then moved to Gujarat. According to a Vibes of India report there have even allegations of Devnath “buying” paid followers and “creating a halo of publicity for himself”. He of course denies this. “I am confident of even defeating Mrs Sonia Gandhi, if I am given a ticket,” he reportedly told Vibes of India. He too belongs to the Nath sect, and it has been reported that even “Adityanath has visited his ashram known as Ekaldham in Kutch after becoming the Chief Minister.” Devnath had actively campaigned for Adityanath in the recent elections too.

According to news reports, his hobnobbing with politicians is slowly helping him get followers beyond Gujarat. He is active on social media, and has millions of followers on Twitter and on his various Facebook pages. Devnath has also been vocal about “reclaiming” Mathura, Uttar Pradesh the same way Ayodhya was. That in itself needs no explanation of what his intentions are. He has now demanded that the Places of Worship Act, 1991, be removed to realise the “Kashi, Mathura” Hindutva project.

यदि काशी, मथुरा और अन्य धर्मस्थल वापस चाहिए तो अब इस काले कानून- PLACES OF WORSHIP ACT 1991 को हटाने के लिए संगठित होकर आवाज उठानी होगी।#Remove1991WorshipAct

— Yogi Devnath (@YogiDevnath2) May 23, 2022

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The post Meet Devnath, the yogi from Gujarat who claims Delhi’s Jama Masjid is ‘Jamuna Mandir’ appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The post Minor scuffle over parking takes a communal colour in Central Delhi after temple vandalised, heavy security deployed appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Image Courtesy: NDTV
 
New Delhi: Just a few days after the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, the fascist, Hindutva extremists reared their ugly heads again. On December 9, over two lakh people gathered to demand a Ram temple in Ayodhya at the disputed site. A ‘dharma sabha’ was held at Ramlila Ground in New Delhi where senior Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders and RSS functionaries sent a stern message to PM Modi and the people of the country that they were not “begging” for their rights.
 
The Dharma Sabha was presided over by Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avdheshanand Giri. He said that the administration and the judiciary will have to respect the sentiments of people who have arrived here and want the temple built in Ayodhya.
 
A procession comprising trucks, SUVs and motorcycles was taken out on the eve of the Babri Masjid demolition anniversary and the rally or march by VHP and RSS supporters went door to door to campaign and get people to join them.
 
Hateful slogans were a common theme of the rally. Some of the participants deliberately chanted “Babar ke auladon, ghar jao” (Sons of Babar, go back home) while passing through a nearby Muslim colony.
 
Some even said, “Ek dhakka aur do, Jama masjid tod do,” (Give one more kick and demolish the Jama Masjid.)

 
Poet Imran Pratapgarhi asked what should these participants be called, rioters or members of an organisation?

 
He asked what this message meant in New Delhi, the seat of power, where all national decisions are made, where the Supreme court is and where all the national media houses were.
 
Members of the RSS and VHP decided to launch a nationwide door-to-door campaign later this month to put pressure on the Union government to give in to their demands or face the consequences.
 
Saffron clad members of VHP, RSS and devotees of all age groups gathered from remote corners of north India at the main ground to press for Ram temple construction.
 
“Even as the title suit of the Ayodhya land dispute case is pending before the Supreme Court, which is expected to announce a date in January for the beginning of the hearing, Ram Mandir supporters appeared determined to build the temple in Ayodhya. Despite the Babri deadlock remaining unresolved for more than 25 years and currently sub-judice, right-wing groups are demanding that the Union government sidestep the courts and go ahead with the temple construction,” reported Quint.
 
“Those in power today had promised to construct a Ram temple. They should listen to people and fulfil the demand of a temple in Ayodhya. They are aware of the sentiments. We are not begging for it. We are expressing our emotions. The country wants Ram Rajya,” said Suresh ‘Bhaiyyaji’ Joshi, national general secretary, or Sarkaryawaha, of the RSS. Joshi is also the executive head of the RSS.
 
“The timing of the ‘dharam sansad’, or congregation of Hindu religious leaders, in the national capital comes just two days before the start of the month-long winter session of Parliament–the last full session before the general elections early next year. The VHP is also preparing for a nationwide door-to-door campaign to gather support for the early construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. The outreach campaign is scheduled for 18-26 December. “We want to put pressure on the Union government and all other political parties should come forward and support the demand for a Ram temple. People have waited for it for more than 25 years and now they are not ready to wait any longer. The government should understand the sentiments of the devotees of Lord Ram,” said Vinod Bansal, another senior VHP leader, a report by Livemint said.
 
With the 2019 general elections scheduled to take place within the next six months, the RSS and the VHP have planned a dharma sansad in every Lok Sabha constituency. “Ram temple is not a political issue and it should not be seen as an issue raised by one political party. We are meeting all Members of Parliament (MPs) to request them to take steps for Ram temple construction. The message is very clear, either take steps to pass a bill in Parliament, or there is a chance that MPs not supportive of the demand would lose their Lok Sabha seat,” said Bansal in the report.
 
“VHP members have also requested religious leaders of the Muslim community to join the movement and voluntarily give up the land at the disputed site to Hindus for the construction of a temple. VHP leaders said any initiative taken by the Muslim community for the early construction of the temple will bring harmony between the majority and minority communities,” the report observed.
 
The above statement went beyond the limits of irony. This is not the first time in history that sacrifices and adjustments are demanded from the minorities after trying to eliminate their very existence, inciting hatred, violence and vitriol against them.

It was evident from the mass gathering that they wanted ‘Mandir’ and not ‘Vikas.’
 
VHP leaders organised similar meetings of Hindu religious leaders at seven places on November 25, including Ayodhya, Nagpur and Mangaluru, to press for a bill to construct the temple. VHP’s campaign will culminate at Prayag with a ‘Dharma Sansad’ of priests and saints. The final ‘Dharma Sansad’ will be held on January 31 and February 1.

Read Also:
Ram Temple: The Farce of A ‘Movement’
Hate Watch: ‘Sants’ spew venom against Islam at ‘Dharam Sansad’ in Haryana

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