How do you plan to build the temple?
The temple has already been built in Ayodhya. It was built the day the other structure (Babri Masjid) was brought down. Ram Lalla is already sitting at the site. No one in the world can displace him. Puja is being performed every day. The only thing that needs to be done is to have a structure around him. That too will be done.
Your political mentors have not built the "structure" despite riding to power on the issue. How will you convince people you’ll do what others have not?
We’re not concerned with what the politicians are doing. The sants of Ayodhya have made as many sacrifices to have a temple at the Ramjanmabhoomi as people during the Quit India movement. We are not the ones playing Ayodhya politics. It’s a matter of life and death for us. If the BJP and VHP have politicised the issue, what about the others? They too are stalling Parliament on the issue. We’re not interested in what politicians say. We want construction to start as soon as possible. If it was done through the judicial process, we’d be all for it. But the court case has taken 50 years. How long are we going to wait for the verdict? We respect the judiciary but this is a religious matter. We’ll do everything in our power to initiate action.
Even if it means talking to the Muslims against the wishes of the VHP? And what of Kashi and Mathura? Do you think they too need to be sorted out immediately?
The Muslims have to be involved. The Hindus and Muslims should do kar seva together to set an example. We’ll be forever grateful to the Muslims if they cooperate with us. Let us talk about issues one by one. Let us first think about Ayodhya and then later talk about Kashi and Mathura.
But the VHP won’t be too happy with you for this? They had opposed the Shankaracharya’s talks.
I’m not answerable to anyone. I support the Sangh parivar because they support the Ram temple. Even if they do it for political reasons, they seem to be the only ones who, at least in theory, support it. The rest of the political class seems to working overtime against us. So far as the Opposition is concerned, if the VHP could oppose the Shankaracharya, then I am a small entity.
It hasn’t done you much good to align with the Sangh parivar. The temple has not been built even 11 years after the demolishing of the mosque.
The temple will be built. Un logon ki roti chalti hai is se (Ayodhya is political fodder for the parivar). But we’ll align with anyone who supports the temple. You wait and see. The Hindus and Muslims will build the temple together.
