Deshpande raises Ram Mandir issue

Karwar: Minister for heavy and medium scale industry, R.V. Deshpande has been criticised widely for his comment that the BJP had raised the Ram Mandir issue to seek votes. Deshpande, who is the Congress nominee from Haliyal constituency, had said on Thursday that the BJP had cheated people by collecting money and bricks to build the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

This statement has earned him intense criticism from pro-Hindu organisations and the BJP. Balakrishna Pai, State President of Hindu Jagarana Vedike, was angered by the statement and accused Deshpande of misleading people. “Congress-led UPA government acquired the land meant for the temple and took the matter to court. Senior Congress leaders like Salman Khurshid and Kapil Sibal pleaded on behalf of those who had opposed the temple. Sibal had also appealed to the apex court to put the Ram Mandir case on hold till the next election,” he said.

He pointed out that it was the Congress party which had been delaying the construction of the temple, and therefore, he said that people should defeat the Congress in the election so that the temple is built.

The BJP is also angered by this statement and opines that Deshpande did it as a means of distraction from his imminent defeat in the elections. District spokesperson of BJP, Rajesh Nayak said, “Deshpande is panicked by the visit of UP Chief Minister Adityanath to Haliyal, where he drew a large crowd. To cover up his failures, he is trying to raise the temple issue.”

Even Congress leaders in the district are surprised by his statement as Deshpande is known to be someone who always steered clear of controversies. They said that he should not have raked up the Ram Mandir issue close to the elections, as it might negatively impact the voters in other districts as well. They feel that this action would give undue advantage to the BJP in the elections.