In the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls, 'temple politics' in Uttar Pradesh is heating up once again, but, for a change, the BJP is not the only party indulging in it.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya had recently said that a Ram temple would be built soon in Ayodhya. To counter the BJP’s assurance of building a Ram temple to woo voters, former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party stated on Thursday that he would build a massive Vishnu temple near Etawah.
The proposed Vishnu temple will be built in an area of 2,000 acres and would be along the lines of world-famous Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia. Moreover, Yadav is likely to unveil 50ft-tall statue of Lord Krishna in Safai before 2019 parliament polls.
Yadav said land for the construction of a grand temple of Lord Vishnu is available near the lion safari in Etawah.
However, Yadav put a rider on the construction of the Vishnu temple, saying that the shrine would be built if his party comes back to power.
It appears obvious that Yadav has played the temple card to counter the BJP’s moves. The BJP has assailed Yadav for his announcement on building a Vishnu temple. The BJP said that it was a Samajwadi Party government that had ordered firing on Karsevaks when they were marching towards Ayodhya for building the temple in 1990, but now such statements did not suit the Samajwadi Party.
On the other hand, Yadav slammed the BJP and said when his government released funds for constructing boundary walls of graveyards, then the saffron party called it “appeasement” policy.
“But when my party is talking about the construction of a temple, they [BJP] are still criticising us,” Yadav said.
With Lok Sabha polls approaching and the BJP in control of the government both at the centre and in Uttar Pradesh, the demand for building a Ram temple in Ayodhya is picking up momentum.
Many seers from Ayodhya and some BJP leaders feel “this is the right time to go ahead” with the Ram temple construction and if no decision can be reached by the court, bringing out an ordinance for temple construction in Ayodhya would be the only solution for this long-pending issue.