There have been mixed reactions in Uttar Pradesh to the Narendra Modi government approaching the Supreme Court on Tuesday to seek release of land around the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi site to hand over to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas. While some groups have welcomed the Modi government's move, other seers have yet to comprehend its implications and some say it will not help expedite construction of a Ram temple.
In political circles, the Modi government's move is being viewed as an attempt at appeasing those who are in favour of building a Ram temple in Ayodhya at the earliest. Obviously, the Modi government has come out with the move in the backdrop of growing sentiment in favour of construction of a Ram temple before the 2019 Parliament polls.
After the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992, the Union government had acquired 67 acres of land on the premises where the mosque was pulled down. The area encompassing the disputed site is around 9,600sq.ft.
The Supreme Court had earlier directed to maintain status quo on the disputed site at the Ram Janmabhoomi. The Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas (a trust which is in favour of temple construction) owned about 40 acres of the land, which was acquired by the Union government after the Babri Masjid demolition.
Now, the Modi government wants this land to be restored to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas. When the Union government had acquired the land at the disputed site, the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas had not taken any compensation.
The VHP spokesperson from Ayodhya, Sharad Sharma, told THE WEEK, “This is a welcome move of the government and this is the beginning of the first step in the direction of temple construction. Though this should have happened much before, still, there is a wave of happiness after this move of the government.”
It is an open secret that that the Modi government was under pressure as there was delay in the announcement of the date of start of construction of a Ram temple. The seer community from all over the country had threatened that if the government did not come out with any concrete plan for temple construction, then they themselves would announce the dates at their Dharam Sansad in the ongoing Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj.
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Satyandra Das, chief priest of Ram Lalla, said that the Modi government's move seeking to return land to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas will not smooth the path for temple construction in any way. He noted that unless the government came out with some concrete plans, it would be difficult to move ahead.
From the Muslim side, Iqbal Ansari, who was one of the plaintiffs in the original case, said the Muslims would not have any objections to land being returned to the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas unless the government fiddled with the disputed site.
In Prayagraj, where the Kumbh Mela is going on and where thousands of seers have assembled, the reaction to the Modi government's latest move on Ayodhya was one of ‘ignorance’. Some people who spoke to THE WEEK said that they have yet to understand the implications of the government’s move.
However, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is attending the Kumbh Mela on Tuesday and is holding his cabinet meeting there, has welcomed the move of the Modi government.