VHP for consensus on legislation for Ram temple
Tirunelveli (TN), Oct 12: The VHP Friday urged the Centre to build consensus on bringing a legislation to construct the Ram temple in Ayodhya, even though it expressed hope that a case on the matter pending in the Supreme Court would come to a finality in six months.
"BJP on its own will not be able to bring a legislation as it lacks a majority in Rajya Sabha. But anyhow we have fixed a deadline as January 31 or February 1, 2019 on the auspicious day of Kumbh Mela in Allahabad to bring the legislation in Parliament," VHP president Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje said.
Kokje, who was in Tirunelveli for Thamirabarani Maha Pushkaram festival, was replying to a question from reporters on BJP's assurance to build the temple.
The Centre should bring the legislation with consensus of all MPs to pave the way for building the Ram temple, he said.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad leader said the organisation last week set a "deadline" for the government to bring an ordinance by the year-end.
Tracing VHP's movement for the Ram temple, he said the organisation took the decision for its construction in 1984 and after a long legal battle, the Allahabad High Court gave its verdict largely favouring the Hindus. This has been challenged in the apex court.
"We hope that the matter will be decided within six months in the Supreme Court," he added.
On the top court lifting the ban on entry of women into Sabarimala temple, he said the matter involved a conflict of interests between the rights of women and age-old faith of religious traditions and favoured a review.
He also said the VHP wanted a review of the court's verdicts decriminalising adultery and homosexuality. The judgements were "retrograde" in nature and destroyed age-old values and institutions such as marriage, Kokje claimed.
A large number people took a holy dip in Thamirabarani river as part of the maha pushkaram (worshipping of rivers).
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
