BJP Leader And Former Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman To Party Workers: Tell People With Pride That We Are Building Ram Mandir

It's election season and political parties are busy chalking out strategies. In Karnataka, by-polls are around the corner and all the three political parties are training their guns against each other to win over the electorate.

On the evening of October 12, BJP party workers in Shimoga were brainstorming for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. BJP leader and former Legislative Council chairman DH Krishnamurthy who was in attendance addressed party workers at the event. DH Krishnamurthy Asks Workers To Tell People 'They Have Done It'

Krishnamurthy said, "The time has come to build Ram Mandir. Shouldn't we tell people that we're going to build Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, exactly in the place where he was born?  We must tell that we've done it and we must say it with pride. We must send this message across. It is not about a particular religion but it is about India's pride. We must tell this to people."

READ: VHP Calls For Rahul Gandhi To Fight For Construction Of Ram Mandir, Says 'will Welcome His Support For Us'

Given that the Ram Mandir case is still in the Supreme Court, political commentator Abdul Razak said that politicizing the issue is not the need of the hour.

"BJP has not kept up its promise that it made in 2014 that's why it is raising the issue. Fuel prices are going up, inflation is high and BJP is raising the issue to distract people. The BJP is trying to polarise voters ahead of Lok Sabha polls. No political party can claim credit for Supreme Court's verdict. The apex court must take action against those who are making it a poll issue."

BJP spokesperson Prakash defended DH Krishnamurthy's statement. "What's wrong in his statement?  It is the aspiration of millions of Hindu to build Ram Mandir. What's wrong in expressing our desire?"

The JD(S) condemned the BJP leader's statement, "I strongly condemn this statement of senior BJP leader DH Krishnamurthy. One thing is very clear, the BJP is trying to gain votes by playing the communal card. But people will not buy BJP's logic this time."- Arivalagan, Spokesperson, JD(S)

READ: VHP Demands Ordinance On Ram Mandir Construction; Asks Government To Make A Law Before December 6

Earlier, many BJP leaders have made similar statements. Former BJP MP Ram Vilas Vedanti said on September that construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya will begin ahead of the general elections in 2019.