Ram Temple to be built after consensus: Muslim Rashtriya Manch

Image
Press Trust of India New Delhi
Last Updated : Jan 10 2016 | 2:02 PM IST
Ram temple will come up in Ayodhya once members of all communities are taken into confidence on the matter, RSS' Muslim outreach wing Muslim Rashtriya Manch has said.
Describing Lord Rama as "symbol of Indian-ness", the Manch, patronised by senior RSS leader Indresh Kumar, said it is making efforts to make Muslims aware of the "truth" that God is at the centre of faith for Hindus, while Mughal Emperor Babur does not claim similar space for them.
It is believed that Babri Masjid was named after Mughal Emperor Babur and built during his reign.
"Ram temple will come up, but only when we take each other into confidence. There is a need to speak to Muslims, members of other communities over this," Mohammed Afzal, national convener of the Manch, said here recently on the sidelines of an event.
Afzal said Lord Rama is at the centre of faith of majority Hindus, but Babur is "not at the core of belief of Muslims" and added that the Manch is engaged in activities aimed at conveying this "truth" to members of the minority.
"Lord Rama is at the centre of belief of Hindus. But Babur is not at the centre of belief of Muslims. He was an invader. We are conveying the truth to our Muslim brothers," he added.
Afzal also claimed that majority of the Ulemas associated with the Manch were of the view that the temple must be built in Ayodhya.
"When the UP High Court decision had come (in the Ayodhya case), we had called a meeting of members of our organisation. Around 70-80 ulemas had spoken then. Of these, around 65 people had said the temple should be constructed there as it is the symbol of our Indian-ness. The discussion had taken place without any pressure on anyone," he said.
Afzal dismissed the view that "atmosphere of intolerance" prevails in the country.
Referring to the makeshift temple at the disputed site, he said, "It is the biggest example of how tolerant India is".
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jan 10 2016 | 2:02 PM IST

Next Story