Bengaluru: Karnataka Labour Minister Santosh Lad has quoted controversy as he questiond the benfits of the Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir being constructed in Ayodhya. Santosh Lad also claimed that mandir is being constructed on a land other than what as allotted by the Supreme Court of India to the Mandir trust. 

Karnataka Minister said that Ram Mandir has no role in eradicating poverty, questioning how will it benefit the common man. Santosh Lad also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of “politicising” the construction of Ram Mandir. 

“Ram mandir wasn't constructed to eradicate poverty. It was to fulfill their political desire. That's why it got politicized. I'm not against the construction,” said the Karnataka Minister. 

Santosh Lad Questions Ayodhya's Ram Mandir Construction 

Questioning the site of construction, Santosh Lad said, “The place it was built isn't right. They haven't built it where SC had asked them to. They built it elsewhere. They have built only 40% of it.” 

“What did you benefit from it? How did our sisters in our villages benefit from it? Let it happen. We aren't against it. But why are you (BJP) asking for votes based on this? Have you done development work? Have people come out of poverty? Has this helped farmers?” said Santosh Lad. 

Bommai Says Can't Understand Intent 

On this, former Chief minister of Karnataka and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai said that he is not aware of the intentions of Lad. “What is Santosh Lad's information and intent? About the question of the site - that is where the Ram Lalla temple and sanctorum was there 500 years ago. I think Santosh Lad was not born 500 years ago to ascertain these things,” said Basavaraj Bommai. 

Earlier, the Congress' top leadership including Sonia Gandhi, leader of Opposition Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and party president Mallikarjun Kharge had boycotted the pran pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla's idol at Ayodhya mandir on January 22 presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.