International Hindu Parishad (IHP) president Pravin Togadia on Wednesday announced to march to Ayodhya from lucknow on October 21 if by then the Central government did not bring an ordinance for construction of a grand Ram temple.
“We have already given the four months’ time to the Centre for paving way for the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. The Hindus will not wait further and if by October 21 the government does not bring an ordinance for construction of Ram temple, we will march to Ayodhya from lucknow,” he said.
“Our organisation has already sent a draft of the ordinance on Ram temple to the Centre but they are delaying it,” he said, addressing a press conference in Ayodhya.
Dr Togadia said that a campaign had been launched for taking the signatures of 20 crore Hindus and they would be part of the march.
“If the (Narendra) Modi government at the Centre and Yogi (Adityanath government) in Uttar Pradesh will try to stop the march we will block highways and hold protest and court arrest in lucknow on October 21,” he said.
The IHP president said that it was unfortunate that the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power with the slogan to construct Ram temple but in four years of its rule, it did nothing to construct the temple.
“The sadhus and saints have given their blessings to me for the agitation for Ram temple and we will remove all barriers coming in the way and those who try to oppose us,” he further said.
Dr Togadia said that the BJP was belittling the people who sacrificed their lives for the construction of Ram temple during the movement by saying that it would obey the court order.
“If the BJP does not want the Ram temple, then I will float a new Hindu party which will construct the temple,” he added.
Hitting out at Narendra Modi, Dr Togadia said that the Prime Minister visited several mosques during his four-year tenure but avoided visiting the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya.
“We are clear on our Hindu agenda and along with Ram Janmabhoomi, we want Mathura and Kashi too,” he said.
Before his press conference, Dr Togadia met Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas chairman and Maniramdas Chhavani Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Mahant Kamal Nayan Das Shastri, Digambar Akhara Mahant Suresh Das and other sadhus and saints.