Ram temple: Irani slams Cong for 'creating hurdle' in court

Union minister Smriti Irani blamed the Congress Friday for "creating hurdle" in the judicial process in the Ram temple case through its lawyers and said 'Ram bhakts' should ask the party about it.

"Congress should not do politics through its lawyers on Ram temple issue, which is a matter of faith of people. It's leaders, as lawyers, are creating hurdle in the court. People and Ram bhakts should ask the party whether its leader wore 'janeu' only for polls in three states," she said.

Her reference was to senior Congress leader and lawyer Kapil Sibal, who had sought deferment of hearing of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case until after the 2019 general election.

Irani is on a day's visit to Congress president Rahul Gandhi's parliamentary constituency and was talking to mediapersons on way to Amethi, about 140km from the state capital Lucknow.

Attacking Gandhi for apparently delaying his visit to Amethi by a few hours, she said, "His coming late in 'maidan-e-jang' (battlefield) of Amethi is an indication that the person who cannot visit his constituency on time cannot give timely solutions."
"How will he see people eye to eye in Amethi today?"
Asked whether the Congress chief was afraid of her, Irani said in a lighter vein, "bina dare chartered flight se aa rahe hain" (he is coming on a chartered flight without any fear)."