NEW DELHI: Once the fiery mascot of the Ram temple movement, Union Minister Uma Bharti wants a resolution to the lingering dispute through dialogue even as she hails controversial BJP MP Subramanian Swamy as her “hero”, saying she believes his words that work on the temple in Ayodhya will start by the end of this year.
Bharti ruled herself out as a possible chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, but voiced confidence that BJP will be able to form its government in the key Hindi heartland state with Amit Shah at the helm of the party.
On the issue of Ram temple construction and Swamy’s remarks that the work on it will start this year, Bharti said in an interview, “I respect Swamy very much. He is my hero. I was 15-16 years old when Emergency was imposed and Dr Swamy, George Fernandes were my heroes. For me he is a heroic figure. So whatever he says, I will believe that.”
The remarks by BJP’s yesteryear Hindutva mascot comes at a time when the party leadership is skirting questions on Ram temple and repeatedly insisting that development will be the party’s poll plank in UP as it seeks to wrest the politically important state from Samajwadi Party.
Speaking at an event in Mumbai in April, Swamy had claimed that work to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya would begin by this year-end. He had expressed confidence that next year Hindus would celebrate Ram Navami at the Ram temple.
“The issue in the Ram temple movement was whether it was the birthplace of Lord Rama or not. The three-judge bench of Allahabad HC said one thing undisputedly that the dome in the middle is of Ramlala. The Ram temple movement got legal sanction with that declaration.