Mungekar attacks RSS on Ram temple issue

Former Planning Commission member and Congress leader Bhalchandra Mungekar Monday accused the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the ruling BJP, of stoking the Ram temple issue with an eye on elections.

He alleged that a "pre-Babri mosque atmosphere" is sought to be created in the country.

He also accused Narendra Modi government of "systematically dismantling" the democratic institutions including the Supreme Court and the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation).

Mungekar charged the RSS with building pressure on the Supreme Court to hold early hearing on the Ayodhya title suits.

"Failing this, the RSS has threatened to take alternative routes to construct Ram temple in Ayodhya with the tacit support of the government,"Mungekar alleged.

"This is unprecedented that, for the first time, the extra-constitutional bodies are trying to openly target the Supreme court not only for urgent, but favourable verdict," he said in a statement.

He said the RSS was "strategically remaining silent" on the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya for four-and-half years of the BJP's rule.

"And it's only now, closer to important state and forthcoming general elections, it is trying to revive (the Ayodhya issue) for communal polarisation. This way, a pre-Babri masjid atmosphere is sought to be created in the country," he alleged.

On December 6, 1992, a large number of 'Kar Sevaks' - religious volunteers - had gathered in the temple town and demolished the 16th-century Babri Masjid, triggering a spate of communal violence in the country.

Mungekar further accused the government of destroying the CBI and the RBI.

He recalled that the BJP, when in opposition, wanted separation of the CBI from the government control and make it fully Independent.

The BJP-led government blatantly destroyed the agency through "mid-night operation" by shunting out its Constitutionally appointed director, "only with the fear that he might take politically most unfavourable decision," he said.

The government recently stripped CBI director Alok Verma and special director Rakesh Asthana of all the responsibilities and sent them on administrative leave, after the top officers accused each other of corruption.

CBI Joint Director M Nageshwara Rao was last month appointed as its interim director. The matter relating to sending Verma on leave is pending before the Supreme Court.

"Similarly, the government undermined the RBI, when the prime minister alone took the fraudulent decision of the demonetisation in November, 2016," Mungekar said.