Manoj Tiwari raises Ram temple issue at rally, says BJP will fulfil another of its promise

The BJP was mocked over construction of Ram temple, but the recent Supreme Court verdict has paved the path for a grand temple in Ayodhya, and the party will fulfil another of its promise, BJP's Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari said at a rally in Najafgarh on Thursday.

The rally was held to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Parliament giving its nod to a bill for granting ownership rights to residents of unauthorised colonies in Delhi.

"We were taunted and mocked. People used to say 'Ram Lala Hum Ayenge, Mandir Wahin Banayenge, Par Tarikh Nahin Batayenge'," Tiwari said citing a slogan about chants raised by saffron outfits for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya but not giving exact date for it.

Amid loud cheers, the Delhi BJP chief said that the process for construction of a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya has started.

In the Delhi Assembly elections scheduled to be held early next year, the BJP is facing a daunting challenge of upstaging the incumbent AAP.

This was first time that Tiwari spoke about the Ram temple issue, hinting that his party may seek electoral gains from it. The party has so far refrained from raising the Ram temple issue in its election-related public meetings and programmes.

Tiwari thanked Prime Minister Modi for passage of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorized Colonies) Bill, 2019 granting ownership rights in 1,731 unauthorised colonies in Delhi, saying he removed a "blot" on these settlements within 100 days of being in government.

Hitting out at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Tiwari said, "In 90 per cent cases of snatching and loot, illegal migrants are involved. But, when I demand NRC in Delhi, Kejriwal becomes furious."