Kerala BJP questions state Congress on Ram Mandir stance, raises appeasement angle

On Monday, Kerala BJP president K Surendran questioned the state Congress leaders on their position vis-à-vis the construction of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. Mentioning that the Congress party at the national level had publicly supported the construction of the Ram Mandir, he urged former CM Oommen Chandy, Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, and Kerala Congress chief Mullappally Ramachandran to clarify whether they would follow suit. He expressed the apprehension that the state unit of Congress would oppose the Ram temple construction just to appease the Muslim League and other "communal forces". 

Kerala BJP president K Surendran stated, "Congress leaders like Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh have come out in support of the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya. I want to ask Congress leaders in Kerala, Oommen Chandy, Ramesh Chennithala and Mullappally Ramachandran about their stand. Are you supporting the stand of Congress leaders in the Centre? Or are you still going to appease the Muslim League and other communal forces by taking a stand against the construction of the Ram temple? The people of Kerala want to know this."

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Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh open up on Ram temple construction

On July 31, Kamal Nath remarked, "I welcome the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The people of the country were waiting for this in anticipation. The construction of Ram Mandir is taking place with the consent of every Indian. This is possible only in India". While welcoming the construction of the Ram Mandir, Congress RS MP Digvijaya Singh on August 1 revealed that this was the desire of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi as well. Earlier in the day, he stirred a controversy by claiming that the late Rajiv Gandhi had already laid the foundation stone of the Ram Mandir.

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PM Modi made the announcement pertaining to the formation of the Ram temple trust on the floor of the Lok Sabha on February 5. This move came nearly three months after the SC ruling on the Ayodhya land dispute. While Mahant Nritya Gopal Das was elected as the president of the trust, Nripendra Misra- the former Principal Secretary to PM Modi was chosen to head the Ram temple construction committee.  The PM and UP CM Yogi Adityanath will attend the 'Bhoomi Pujan' ceremony on August 5. 

Read: Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan: Allahabad HC Dismisses Plea Seeking Stay On Event Amid 'Unlock 2'