Ambedkar believed Ram Mandir is in Ayodhya: Gehlot

In potentially controversial remarks, Union Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot today said the architect of Indian Constitution B R Ambedkar believed "Ram mandir is there in Ayodhya".
He said any further action on construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya will be taken only after the Supreme Court has pronounced its judgement on the issue.
"Ambedkar ji used to respect all people, followers of all religions. Ram Mandir is there, he believed in it. Though he never made any categorical comment on this but from his thinking on pluralism and respect for all, I can say his view was positive," Gehlot told reporters.

He said any decision on Ram temple will be with be through consensus.
"Whenever there is mutual consensus and when the apex court's decision comes, there will be further action. This we have said earlier also. We do not have anything new to say now," Gehlot, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, said.
Gehlot criticised Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making deliberate attempts to weaken labour laws which was creating discontent among the workers.

"At a meeting of INTUC (the trade union wing of Congress) yesterday, Rahul Gandhi used words which had potential to spread intolerance...He said PM considers employees and labourers work shirkers.

"Prime Minister and I can never think like this even in our dreams. These words are not only an attempt to spread intolerance among labourers but are part of a conspiracy. I denounce it," he said.
Maintaining that the government had taken various measures for the benefit of labourers, the Minister said raising the minimum pension from Rs 200 to Rs 1000, bonus from Rs 8,400 to Rs 16,800 besides Mudra bank and Jan-Dhan Yojana were part of it.
"We are making rules to strengthen labour laws for the benefit of the working class. Rahul Gandhi's comments are baseless and deserve criticism. It is his immature of him to have said what he said. Saying it is his frustration will not be an exaggeration," the Minister said.

To a question on intolerance, he said Rahul Gandhi and Congress party raised the issue "only to malign BJP". Today, the Chief Justice has also said there is no intolerance in the country, Gehlot said.
He alleged Congress raised the issue to "disturb" the country's atmosphere and to take "mileage" in Bihar elections.
Wading into the row over alleged intolerance, Chief Justice T S Thakur had said earlier in the day that it was a a "political issue" and that there was no need to fear till the judiciary was "independent" and the rule of law prevailed.