VHP, Shiv Sena to launch '1990-like movement' to accelerate Ram Temple construction

In a bid to revive the Ram Temple movement, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Shiv Sena have once again decided to come together to accelerate the construction of the temple.

The VHP and Shiv Sena had, in 1990, launched a similar movement which eventually led to the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992. The movement was led by Bal Thackrey (Shiv Sena) and Ashok Singhal (VHP).

The two organisations are all set to begin separate events in various states to pressure the central government to kick-start the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday visited the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj to collect the soil, which he plans to carry to Uttar Pradesh on his visit to Ayodhya. The Shiv Sena supremo, at the Vijayadashami meet of his party last month, had announced that he will visit Ayodhya and urge the Narendra Modi government build the Ram Temple.

The VHP, on the other hand, will be holding three major rallies- in Ayodhya, Nagpur and Mangalore- later this month.

Led by the head of its international chapter, Alok Kumar, the VHP met the governor of Himachal Pradesh Acharya Devvrat on Thursday. During the meeting, the Hindu organisation submitted a memorandum to the governor demanding the state government to raise the matter with the Union government to make a law to build the temple in Ayodhya.

The Supreme Court on October 29 had adjourned the Ayodhya title suit till next year to fix a date for the hearing. The court was hearing the matter which challenged the 2010 ruling of the Allahabad High Court that divided the disputed land into three parts.