RSS-BJP raising Ram temple issue fearing poll defeat: Cong-NCP

The Congress and NCP Friday hit out at the RSS-BJP for "raking up" the Ram temple issue and attributed it to the ruling party's fear of losing the 2019 polls due to its "failure" in fulfilling promises made to the people.

They also charged the ruling BJP with not being "serious" about constructing the temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya and questioned why it did not fulfil this promise despite being in power at the Centre for the past four-and-half years.

The RSS Friday said that Hindus were feeling "insulted" by the Supreme Court's declaration that the Ayodhya (Ram temple) issue is not a priority.

After a three-day RSS conclave here in Maharashtra, its general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi earlier in the day said the organisation "will not hesitate to launch an agitation for Ram temple, if needed, but since the matter is in the Supreme Court, there are restrictions."
Speaking to reporters Friday, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said, "The Central government is in trouble due to issues such as Rafale, CBI and others. On one hand, opposition parties are uniting against the government, while (PM Narendra) Modi's allies are leaving him."