'Muslims support Ram Temple construction' posters seen in UP
Several posters saying, "Muslims in the country support the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya", have reportedly been put out by Muslim organisations in Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow. While the matter was one of the poll promises of the BJP government in the state, the SC had recently called for amicable settlement of the dispute through dialogue between the parties.
Two significant developments have taken place with regard to the question of building Ram temple at Ayodhya since Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Yogi Adityanath, an ardent votary of building Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, has taken oath as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and the Supreme Court has suggested out of court settlement of the title suit.Now, some Muslim organisations have put out big banners in Lucknow supporting construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya. They claim that the hoardings and banners were put out after the Supreme Court called for amicable settlement of the dispute through dialogue between the parties.Interestingly, the BJP is yet to spell out its own plan of action for Ram temple at Ayodhya. The party had included the issue in its poll manifesto and Yogi Adityanath had also promised to move in that direction if the BJP was voted to power. He went on to swear in as the UP Chief Minister.THE PRO-TEMPLE BANNERSAzam Khan, the president of Sri Ram Mandir Nirman Muslim Kar Sevak Manch, put out 10 these hoardings across Lucknow to move forward in the direction as 'suggested' by the Supreme Court. Azam Khan set up a group of like-minded Muslims post-Supreme Court's advice. He has been trying to build a consensus on the issue within the community. Flanked by two gun-wielding private guards, Azam Khan has no hesitation chanting Jai Shree Ram. He says Ram is as respectable to Muslims as to any Hindu. A fairly large number of youths have joined him. The group minces no words criticising the religious leaders of both communities for driving a wedge between two communities by raking up the issue.AZAM KHAN SEEKS SECURITYAzam Khan says that he has been getting constant threat calls for taking the 'bold' step. Talking to India Today, Azam Khan said, "I have been getting threat on e-mails and phones. I can't identify them. They tell me to leave the issue and rather speak in favor of masjid and work to rebuild the Babri mosque. I was also offered money to abstain from my mission."An FIR has also been registered in this regard, says Azam Khan, but he is yet to get any security cover from UP police. 