Lucknow : The president of the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Laxmikant Bajpai, on Friday said that sacked Samajwadi Party (SP) minister Ompal Nehra should be termed a ‘Kar Sevak’ for Thursday’s controversial comment.
“The statement made by Nehra ji reflects the feelings of the majority of this country. But the timing of the statement is not right. When the matter is in the Supreme Court, then no can anyone start the construction of the temple. No person, who is holding a constitutional post, will say this statement,” Bajpayi told ANI.
“Ram ke naam par Nehra Ji shaheed to ho gaye, ab unko kar sevak ki upadhi de di jaye to koi burai nahi hai. (Since Nehra has been sacked on the name of Ram, it would not be bad to name him as Kar Sevak),” he added.
Ompal Nehra, a senior leader, and a minister in Uttar Pradesh, was on Friday stripped of his ministerial stature after commenting that Muslims must give up their claims on mosques in Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi and help build temples in those places.
The sacked minister had said, “Where can a Ram temple be built if not at Ayodhya? Muslims should help in building a Ram temple in Ayodhya and a Krishna temple in Mathura and give up their claim on mosques there. In fact I would say that Muslims should join Kar Seva (volunteer) for the Ram temple.”
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has been gathering truckloads of stones for a temple at the site in Ayodhya, where the Babri Masjid once stood, and was destroyed by Hindu fanatics in 1992. (ANI)