MLA claims Ram Mandir consecration could have happened under Cong rule

In a surprising turn of events, Congress legislator Arjun Modhwadia, while supporting a resolution praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in the Gujarat state assembly, claimed that the temple could have been built and the ceremony held under Congress rule.

Modhwadia based his claim on historical events, stating that the first claims to the Ram Janmabhoomi site were made in 1822, followed by investigations and evidence found by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 1976 and 1977. He further highlighted that the Ram Lalla idols were placed in the disputed site in 1949, during Jawaharlal Nehru's tenure as prime minister.

"It was under Rajiv Gandhi's leadership in 1986 that the locked gates of the Ram Mandir site were opened," Modhwadia continued, "And in 1989, the ground-breaking ceremony also took place during his time. Additionally, in 1993, after the Babri Masjid demolition, thenPrime Minister Narasimha Rao acquired the undisputed land and reserved it for temple construction."

Modhwadia emphasised that Rao also sent a presidential reference to the Supreme Court seeking permission to build the temple on the disputed land. "Had the court given its verdict then," he argued, "the temple would have been built and the consecration ceremony would have happened much earlier."

However, he acknowledged that the final verdict came during Modi's tenure, calling him "fortunate" to be at the helm of affairs. He concluded by stating that while the Congress acknowledges the sacrifices made by countless people for the temple's construction, they support the resolution praising Modi.

Modhwadia's statement sparked debate, with some seeing it as an attempt to share credit for the Ram Mandir while others viewed it as a historical clarification. The resolution itself was passed unanimously by the assembly, highlighting the broader support for the Ram Mandir's construction, regardless of political affiliation.