Lucknow: The members named for the 'Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teertha Kshetra' trust — constituted for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya — have raised a few eyebrows as some are demanding inclusion of a backward class person on the panel. The demand for an OBC member was raised by former CM Kalyan Singh after the state government announced that Kameshwar Chaupal, a Scheduled Caste member from Patna, would be a part of the trust.
Singh, an accused in Babri Masjid demolition case, said that not just Dalits, backwards too should get representation in the Ram Mandir Trust as they are as 'staunch a Ram bhakt' as the former.
Speaking to News18 on Wednesday, the firebrand BJP leader said, "I want to congratulate PM Modi and home minister Amit Shah for the commendable work. My wish to see the grand temple in Ayodhya in this lifetime may get fulfilled. Not just Dalits, but also backwards are staunch Ram Bhakts, they should also get representation in the Trust."
A day earlier, the government had named senior lawyer K Parasaran, Jagatguru Shankracharya, Jyothishpeethadheeshwar Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati Ji Maharaj from Allahabad, Jagatguru Madhavacharya Swami Vishwa Prasannatheerth Ji Maharaj, Pejawar Math in Udupi, Yugpurush Paramanand Ji Maharaj from Haridwar, Swami Govinddev Giri Ji Maharaj from Pune and Vimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra from Ayodhya as members.
Besides them, Anil Mishra, a homoeopathic doctor from Ayodhya and Kameshwar Chaupal from Patna who is a Scheduled Caste member, and Mahant Dinendra Das, Nirmohi Akhara, Ayodhya Baithak were also named as trustees.
Recalling the Ram Mandir movement during his tenure as CM, Singh said, "I went to jail for a day and was fined Rs 2,000. I am facing criminal conspiracy case in CBI court as of now. If I am proven guilty, I will be punished else I will be acquitted."
On being asked about his possible role in the trust, the former CM said, "mai jaisa bhi hoon, theek hoon (I am fine the way I am)." According to a local report, saints and seers in the temple town are demanding that Singh be included in the proposed trust.
Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the makeshift Ram temple, was quoted as saying by The Pioneer that the contribution of Kalyan Singh towards the temple movement was immense and he should be included in the trust.
"Kalyan Singh sacrificed his chair (as chief minister) and even went to jail for a day after the demolition of the Babri mosque. He is a true Ram Bhakt and deserves the honour," he was quoted as saying.
Th BJP leader was the chief minister of the state when the Babri mosque was demolished on December 6, 1992. His government was dismissed hours after the demolition and Singh was sent to jail for a day, following which he took an undertaking that he would protect the mosque. Singh later admitted that he had given orders that no firing should be done on the 'kar sevaks' in Ayodhya.
The former UP CM's demand was backed by ex-Union minister Uma Bharti, who was also one of the leading faces of the Ram Temple movement. "I'm with Kalyan Singh on this because many OBCs, including me, were at the forefront of the Ayodhya Ram Temple movement. This is important because OBCs around that time were influenced by the Samajwadis," Bharti told a TV news channel in Bhopal.
Janmabhoomi Nyas president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, too, seemed disappointed with the announced names. He indicated that he was upset with not being appointed to the trust, prompting the BJP to rush in three leaders to pacify him.
The seers at the temple stopped the leaders from entering inside and forced them to return. Soon, the Mahant called an emergency meeting of seers at 3 pm and a press conference at 5 pm, Ayodhya Mahanagar president Abhishek Mishra said.
Later, the temple management told reporters that the meeting was cancelled as they had received a phone call from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, the designated successor to Nritya Gopal Das, said.
The Centre on Wednesday constituted an independent 15-member trust to oversee the construction of a "grand and magnificent" Ram temple in Ayodhya, an announcement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha four days before the expiry of a 3-month deadline set by the Supreme Court.
It has also been decided to transfer 67.703 acre land to the trust, PM Modi said said in Parliament, adding the Uttar Pradesh government has agreed to give five acres of land to the UP Sunni Wakf Board as directed by the Supreme Court.
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