Ram Temple To Be A Reality Soon: BJP's Sambit Patra

Senior BJP leader Sambit Patra on Saturday said a Ram temple in Ayodhya will soon be a reality, just like the withdrawal of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, as it is one of the core agendas of the saffron party. "Have faith and patience, Ram temple will soon be a reality. Earlier whenever we used to visit any event, we were asked when would Article 370 be abolished from Kashmir. People thought it would never be a reality.

"But now you can see that it has been abolished. So rest assured all the core agendas of BJP will soon be a reality," Patra said, addressing Ram Sharad Kothari Pratibha Samman 2019.

Ram Kothari and Sharad Kothari were killed in police firing during Karseva at the Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh in the early 1990s. Abrogation of Article 370, Uniform Civil Code and construction of Ram temple are considered three core agendas of the BJP.

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"Since 2014, the weather of India has changed. Earlier the weather was all about dynasty politics, appeasement and corruption and now it is all about development and taking the country forward," Patra asserted. "Earlier calling yourself a Hindu was being criticised but now it is a matter of pride to call yourself a Hindu," he said.

Patra said previous Congress governments in the country tried to erase the name of Lord Rama from the history of India. "Previous governments have made efforts to erase the name of Lord Ram from history. They even went to an extent where they said that Rama is a mythological character. Now you all can very well see their condition. From being baiters of Lord Ram, they have become devotees of Lord Shiva," Patra said, referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to Shiva temples during 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Referring to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's opposition to the abolition of the provisions of Article 370, Patra said she speaks the language of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and "has problems with everything good that is happening in India". He said, "Whenever something good is happening - be it Chandrayaan 2 or abolition of Article 370, she has problems with it."

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Banerjee on Friday had said that the entire "hype" around the Chandrayaan 2 mission is an attempt to divert attention from "economic disaster" under the Union government and added that it is not that such a project was not taken up before the Modi dispensation.

Hitting back, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said she might have spoken of economic disaster but it is in fact a disaster of her thought process. "She only tries to play politics which is absolutely demeaning and appalling. Mamata has no 'mamata' (compassion)  for India," he said.

Patra also criticised Banerjee for her opposition to NRC in Assam and alleged that Banerjee's opposition to NRC is aimed at providing shelter to Rohingya Muslims and infiltrators and use them as vote bank.