BJP condemns Owaisi’s comment on PM Modi attending ‘bhoomi-pujan’ of Ram temple, Ayodhya

Hyderabad (Telangana): BJP condemns the statements made by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the ‘bhoomi-pujan’ at Ram temple construction site in Ayodhya, as people who are in constitutional positions have every right to follow their faith and beliefs, said the party spokesperson from Telangana, NV Subhash, on Wednesday.

“BJP condemns the remarks made by Asaduddin Owaisi on PM Modi attending the ‘bhoomi-pujan’ at Ram temple, Ayodhya scheduled to be held on August 5. People in constitutional positions have every right to follow their faith and beliefs. No rule in the Constitution stops PM Modi from doing so. It is the PM’s prerogative whether to attend the event or not, Owaisi should not dictate the terms,” Subhash told ANI here.

“In the guise of secularism some political parties have been doing all the misdeeds and raking up differences in cross-sections of the people. When secularism is part of the Constitution, Prime Ministers and others people in constitutional positions visited temples and mosques. During the UPA regime in Centre between 2004-2014, many people visited and no statement came from Owaisi,” he added.

The AIMIM chief on Tuesday had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not attend the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on August 5 as Prime Minister.

“I have said in an interview to Outlook magazine that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not attend that event. Because if he attends that function as the Prime Minister then a message will go in the country that the Prime Minister is supporting people of one faith only,” Owaisi said.

“If he says he is going to attend the event in his individual capacity, then nobody will question it. Every Prime Minister, if he follows a religion, he has the right to follow it. But Prime Minister is also constitutional head and the Constitution is related to the basic structure of secularism,” he told ANI.

He had then said that the PM “should say that he will go in his personal capacity and no TV channel should live telecast”.

Meanwhile, the BJP leader further said that the Hyderabad MP should stop questioning “the validity of the Supreme Court judgement” over the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

“If Asaduddin Owaisi is concerned about secularism in the country, we should talk about subsidies given to Hajj pilgrims, iftar parties hosted by various state governments, spending taxpayers’ money, and the Telangana government giving 12 per cent reservation, which is there in the Supreme Court and not implemented it. For his political mileage, and survival Owaisi should not give such statements,” Subhash said.

He further said that the AIMIM chief should not hurt the sentiments of Hindus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on August 5, according to Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, the president of the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust.

The construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya will begin after the ceremony to lay the foundation stone (bhoomi poojan) in which chief ministers of many states, ministers from the union cabinet and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat are also likely to participate.

The Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, set up in accordance with the Supreme Court verdict, held its second meeting earlier this month.

In March this year, the ‘Ram Lalla’ idol was shifted to a temporary structure.

The apex court, on November 9 last year, had directed the central government to hand over the site at Ayodhya for the construction of a Ram temple. (ANI)