No more temple construction until site is acquired

The Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas (trust) (RJN) chief Mahant Ramchandra Das Paramhans has declared that no more temple construction-related activity will be undertaken until the Hindu community is given possession of the disputed Babri Mosque site.

Talking to Gulf News yesterday at the RJN's 'karyashala' or workshop, a visibly elated and relaxed Paramhans said that his top priority at this stage is return of normalcy in the temple town.

"Federal Home Minister Lal Krishna Advani, who called me up on Friday night, has promised to withdraw security forces from Ayodhya within the next three days and resume the suspended train services. People have suffered a lot, particularly the business community," Paramhans said.

Allaying fears that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)-RJN may organise another road show to press for their demand for permission to construct a grand Hindu temple in place of the 16th century Babri Mosque they had demolished nine years ago on June 2, Paramhans said that his 100-day yagna will end on that date without any more confrontation with the administration.

The VHP had earlier said that they will try and start actual construction work from June 2.

The VHP-RJN combine, leading the movement has now decided against it after they were allowed to perform worship at the makeshift temple that exists in place of the razed mosque and a representative of the federal government accepted two 'shilas' or carved stones, without any trouble.

The Mahant has also softened his stand vis-a-vis Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whom he had been criticising for not supporting them by saying that it was a fight between politics and religion.

"On a personal level, I have absolutely no problems with Vajpayee and as it turned out both of us won in the end. But I do have a regret that he has failed to use his brain to resolve the long-pending Ayodhya dispute," he said.

He also defended his decision to perform 'shila puja' and hand over it to the government's representative at his Digambar Akhara in place of originally scheduled Ramkot locality by saying by doing so, it prevented bloodshed.

"The lane ahead was extremely narrow and more people had joined our procession that we expected. They were also very excited. It would definitely have led to a confrontation between police and our followers. Death of even one volunteer in the resultant police firing would have created communal havoc in the country, which I did not want," Paramhans said.

Along with VHP chief Ashok Singhal, Paramhans was allowed by the local administration to perform the planned worship and handing over of the 'shila' near the disputed site later on Friday evening after entry of media and VHP volunteers was banned from the area.

Paramhans termed those criticising him and Singhal for compromising and surrendering before the government as agents of the Samajwadi Party of Mulayam Singh Yadav.

"They had come here to create trouble and give a bad name to our movement. They were disappointed when we foiled their plan," he asserted.

He had threatened to commit suicide rather than give in to the court ban, but stepped down after personal appeals from Vajpayee.

"Do you think I am going to die that easily?," said Paramhans. "Ram has sent me down to earth to build his temple. I will not die before that," he said.