Is Ram going to come from heaven and give farmers something better?: Farooq Abdullah

Launching a scathing attack on those demanding a Ram Temple in Ayodhya, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said “you” are not fighting on the issues that matter to people, and questioned whether Lord Ram will solve the farmers’ problems.  

“Today, look at secular democratic India. You’re not fighting on the issues that matter to people. You’re fighting for Ram. Is Ram going to come from heaven and give farmers something better? Or unemployment will disappear in a day because Ram is coming? They are fooling people, news agency ANI quoted Abdullah as saying.

Farooq Abdullah: Today, look at secular democratic India. You’re not fighting on issues that matter to ppl. You’re fighting for Ram. Is Ram going to come from heaven&give farmers something better?Or unemployment will disappear in a day because Ram is coming. They are fooling ppl. pic.twitter.com/NiNKyKvFKG

— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2018

Several Hindu organisations, including the RSS, the VHP, the Shiv Sena, have been asking the government and the BJP for an early settlement of the issue.  

On Saturday, BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said his party was committed to constructing a Ram temple in Ayodhya and would wait for the Supreme Court's verdict on the issue.

The BJP leader said there was a demand from a section of leaders to bring an ordinance on the temple issue and added that the party understands the "sentiments" of the people.

"As far as the issue of construction of the grand temple for Lord Ram is concerned, our party's position has been consistent. We have always favoured the construction of grand temple in Ayodhya. That is the aspiration and sentiment of crores of people, Hindus in this country," he said.

VHP Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday in Nagpur during his annual Vijayadashmi address said the government should clear the path for construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya through an appropriate and requisite law.

The BJP leader alleged that some of the Congress leaders have been trying to put roadblocks in the construction of the temple by trying to delay Supreme Court judgement by using their own "lawyer-politician" to create huddles in the court processes.

The Ayodhya case is currently before the Supreme Court and the next hearing is scheduled for October 29.

Last month, Abdullah asked why a Ram temple should be built in Ayodhya as Lord Ram is omnipresent and belongs to the world.

(With PTI inputs)