UP Cabinet at Prayagraj today, could discuss Ram Mandir issue ahead of VHPs Dharm Sansad

NEW DELHI: Politics over building a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya is set to hot up in Uttar Pradesh as Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is gearing up to hold a Dharm Sansad or gathering of religious leaders at the ongoing Kumbh Mela from January 31 to February 1 to discuss the issue on which it is pressuring the state and central governments to go ahead with or without the court’s permission.
The UP cabinet may also discuss this issue at a meeting being held by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Prayagraj today. The state government could make an official statement saying it would ask the Supreme Court at the next hearing to hear the case on a daily basis and dispose of the case in a time-bound manner, said people aware of the matter. The court postponed the hearing on the matter scheduled for today due to unavailability of one of the judges on the bench.

The VHP has called the Dharm Sansad to “finalise a date for the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya” while the Shankaracharya of Dwarka Peeth, Swaroopanand Saraswati, began a ‘Param Dharm Sansad’ in Prayagraj on Monday in which a resolution was passed condemning the inaction being shown by the BJP government on the Ram Mandir issue.

Saraswati also said that saints will start a march to Ayodhya from February 1 for the construction of the Ram temple. Sensing this impatience, the UP CM made a statement on Sunday that his government would “resolve the Ram temple issue in 24 hours if the Supreme Court hands over the issue to us” and said he would appeal to the court soon to settle the matter at the earliest keeping in mind sentiments of the majority population.

A senior BJP functionary in UP told ET that the Cabinet meeting in Prayagraj has been deliberately scheduled for a day ahead of the VHP’s Dharm Sansad to “give a reassuring message” to the saints that the BJP government is serious about the issue. Besides, CM Yogi and all UP ministers will take a dip in the Sangam, and the CM will also meet prominent saints of the Akhara Parishad during his visit there.

Not to be outdone, former CM and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a dip in the Sangam on Sunday accompanied by the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad chief, Mahant Narendra Giri. The Congress is also planning to bring both party president Rahul Gandhi and his sibling Priyanka Gandhi to the Kumbh on either February 4 or 10 while the BJP is planning a visit by its president Amit Shah in the coming days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to visit the Kumbh next month on one of the holy bath days.