Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Don't blame VHP

Sir, — Every devout and patriotic Hindu would feel wounded by your editorial, `Stop the VHP' (Feb. 19). You must be well aware of the background of the 400-year-old struggle of the Hindus to repossess the birthplace of Lord Rama at Ayodhya.

It was only by a court order that the gates of the disputed structure were thrown open to enable the worship of the idol of Lord Rama installed there. Even the Supreme Court order of 1993 asserts that the worship of the idol at the site must continue indefinitely. Pujas and visit by pilgrims continue without break even today.

For years, the VHP had bought the sites around the disputed structure to enable the construction of a temple for the idol that is worshipped. It is public knowledge. The VHP had placed before the Government all the records and evidence to show that there was a temple at the disputed site.

In 1989, during Rajiv Gandhi's Prime Ministership, the foundation stone for the temple was laid in the land purchased by the VHP. In 1993, the centre forcibly acquired the 47.5 acre site purchased by the VHP.

Though the site is outside the disputed area, it was acquired by the Government to prevent the construction of the Ram temple even on the land purchased and possessed by the VHP.

For the last nine years, the VHP has been pleading with the Government to return the land possessed by it. The VHP plans construction now only on its own undisputed land and wait for the court verdict on the disputed site. The VHP is not doing anything on the disputed site.

The VHP is not at all responsible for this crisis as even 15 months ago the organisation gave notice to the Government to find a peaceful solution to enable the construction of the temple. But the NDA Government allowed the issue to drift. In the context of these facts, your Editorial is rather unreasonably harsh on the VHP.

S. Vedantam,
VHP, Chennai

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Opinion

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• The plague within
• Restructuring India
• Diversity: Bhopal and beyond
• In defence of the CAG
• Don't blame VHP
• Will it be different?
• Research and animals
• Andipatti byelection
• Thefts on trains
• Caution needed

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu