Digvijaya Singh plays Ram Mandir card in Bhopal

BHOPAL: Congress has decided to hand over the land allotted for a party office to expand a Ram Mandir in

Bhopal

, party veteran Digvijaya Singh said after offering Ram Navami puja on Saturday.


On Saturday morning, Digvijaya went to a Ram Temple in the old city area to offer aarti and Navratri Puja. After stepping out, he said, “During my tenure (as chief minister), we had allotted land for this temple of Bhagwan Ram. And right in front of the temple, we had also allotted land for construction of a building of the district Congress office. Congress party has decided that since the Ram Mandir compound is increasing, this land too will be transferred to the Ram Mandir Trust.”

The state BJP was quick to cry foul. “It is a complete violation of the model code of conduct. The man who coined the word ‘Bhagwa Atankwad’ (saffron terrorism) and called RSS a ‘bomb-manufacturing factory’ is trying to garner votes through fake and artificial

Hinduism

,” said state BJP vice-president Vijesh Lunawat. “No matter how many temples he visits, people of Bhopal know Digvijaya Singh very well. Only the fear of defeat is making him speak like a Hindu today,” he remarked. BJP will complain against the Election Commission.

The plot that Digvijaya said will be given to the Ram Temple Trust is a little more than half an acre, located exactly opposite the Mandir on Hamidia Road.

Dubbed anti-Hindu and anti-national by the RSS-BJP combine, Digvijaya on Saturday greeted people on Ram Navami, saying: “Today is Maryada Purushottam Ram’s day of birth. He emerged victorious after fighting injustice and victimisation. He established Ram Rajya, and established ideals that should be followed by everyone in this country. I greet everyone on Ram Navami.”

State Congress leaders claim Digvijaya Singh is a Raghuvanshi. “His father, Balbhadra Singh, was a member of Ram Rajya Parishad and built a big Ram temple in his hometown, Raghogarh, named after Lord Ram,” they argued.

Since his name was announced as candidate from Bhopal, a BJP bastion for over three decades, Digvijaya has been trying to woo both RSS and Hindu voters. To placate the RSS, an organisation he attacked relentlessly for 15 years, Digvijaya now says, “I am a staunch Hindu and RSS is a Hindu outfit. So, why does it dislike me?” And to appease Hindu voters, he has been temple hopping and seeking blessings of seers.