Bhubaneswar, Feb. 15: Vishwa Hindu Parishad international president Ashok Singhal on Monday said the BJP had been asked to leave the issue of the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya to Hindu seers and sages.
"We have told the BJP that the Ram temple construction is not their movement (sic). It is a movement by the seers and sages of India who have been waging it for long and they will continue it till the temple comes up at Ayodhya," Mr Singhal said.
He added that the BJP had failed to "fulfil the aspirations of crores of Hindus" in India and abroad by not being able to construct a Ram temple, as promised by it on several occasions.
Asked if the VHP was contemplating to entering electoral politics, Mr Singhal said, "If it is ever required, we will certainly think about it."
Mr Singhal fired salvos at UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the Central government and the ruling BJD in Orissa for allowing an European Union delegation to visit Orissa’s Kandhamal district.
"Sonia Gandhi, the UPA government and Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik should explain why they allowed the EU delegation to enter Kandhamal. It is something like compromising with the sovereign status of our country," he asked.
Mr Singhal dubbed Naveen Patnaik a "betrayer".
To another query, the VHP stalwart said India should not restart talks with Pakistan as that country had never kept its promises to desist from anti-India activities.
Akshaya Kumar Sahoo