VHP wants Ram temple on its model, mosque outside cultural limits

Sharp differences are emerging between various Hindu organizations, saints and Akharas over the construction of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The Supreme Court may have resolved the 500-year-old dispute between Hindus and Muslims last week, but the problem is getting increasingly vexed among Hindus now.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) which spearheaded the temple movement since the eighties has now demanded that the proposed trust should accept its model of the temple and use the carved stones and the 'Ram shilas' in the construction of the temple.

Dinesh Chandra, the international guardian of VHP, told reporters in Ayodhya that while the VHP would not insist on being a part of the new trust that will be set up, it was ready to transfer all its properties to the new trust.

"However, our model of Ram temple is now known worldwide and the people's sentiments are attached to the carved stones and the 'Ram Shilas' that are in the workshop. We cannot compromise or even accept a change of design in the temple," he said.

The VHP statement is in sharp contrast to the earlier statement given by Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, chief of Ram Janambhoomi Nyas, who said that a trust (Nyas) already existed and this would supervise the temple construction. "The government can include  its representatives in our trust," he had added.

Dinesh Chandra, however, said that after the new trust is set up by the central government, all properties of the Ram Janambhoomi Nyas could be transferred to it -- the statement was, again, contradicted by Mahant Nritya Gopal Das.

The VHP even suggested that the government could acquire the Ram Janambhoomi Nyas.

"We have a plan for the entire 67 acres of land that was acquired by the Centre," he stated.

The Divisional Commissioner of Faizabad, Manoj Misra, who is the ex-officio receiver of the Ram Janambhoomi, said that he was keeping an eye on the activities of saints and seers on the issue. "The Supreme Court verdict will be followed and implemented," he stated.

Sources said that intelligence agencies have also been put on alert on this issue.

In an interesting development, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is likely to visit Ayodhya in the coming days to meet the saints. Though the date of his visit has not yet been finalised, it assumed significance in the wake of the statement of the Ram  Janambhoomi Nyas that it wants Yogi Adityanath to head the trust.

The Ramalaya Trust, on the other hand, said that it will stake claim to construct the temple. Swami Avimukteshwaranand, secretary of the trust said, "If our claim is rejected, we will go to court."

Meanwhile, the VHP has thrown a spanner in the works and said that the mosque should be constructed outside the 'cultural limits of Ayodhya'.

"The mosque should be outside the Parikrama route so that there is no dispute in the future," said Dinesh Chandra.

Iqbal Ansari, the plaintiff in the title suit case, however, said that the Supreme Court had said that the new mosque should come up at a prominent place in Ayodhya.

"The land for the new mosque should be within our reach. There is no point if the mosque is built outside Ayodhya -- it should be within the 67 acres of land within cultural limits of the holy town," he said Ansari said that the Sunni Waqf Board never agreed to accept a mosque outside the 67-acre acquired land.