Gyanvapi, Mathura etc will be decided by courts, Constitution: Nadda

Underlining the Bharatiya Janata Party’s commitment to cultural development of the country, party president J P Nadda on Monday said that contentious religious matters would be decided by "courts and the Constitution" and the party would implement the decisions in letter and spirit.

He was responding to a question on whether reclaiming temples in Varanasi (Kashi) and Mathura was still on the BJP's agenda.

He said the BJP had passed a resolution on the Ram Janambhoomi issue during its national executive meeting in Palampur. "After that there has been no resolution," he added.

Reiterating the BJP's slogan of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas", Nadda said the party wants to take everyone along with the aim of building a strong nation.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in New Delhi to mark eight years of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, Nadda said "Seva, Sushasan and Garib Kalyan" (service, good governance and welfare of the poor) are the soul of the dispensation.

Nadda, flanked by Union ministers Smriti Irani, Dharmendra Pradhan and Anurag Thakur, also released a theme song on the occasion, titled 'Modi govt architect of new India', which highlights the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and Kashi Vishwanath temple corridor in Varanasi and offered a glimpse of the Krishna temple in Mathura.

Asked about the Gyanvyapi mosque issue, Nadda told the press conference that the BJP has always worked for the cultural development of the country.

"...We have always talked about the cultural development of the country. But these issues will be decided by courts and the Constitution...and the BJP will implement it in letter and spirit," Nadda said.

Lower courts are currently hearing multiple petitions on the disputes related to the Gyanvapi mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi and the Krishna temple adjacent to the Shahi Masjid Idgah in Mathura.

Asked about the party not fielding any Muslim candidate in the recent assembly polls and the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, he said the BJP has not announced candidates for all Rajya Sabha seats yet.

"When we work politically, it is our endeavour to take everyone along. We have to be ready for it. We are ready for it," Nadda said, referring to the BJP's slogan of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas".

"There are many types of people in a society. Some respond earlier, some later, some after decades and some respond after much time has passed. It depends on them. But this is clear and everyone will have an equal share," he said.

To a question about several BJP-ruled states announcing the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code, Nadda said the party has always worked on the principle of justice to all and appeasement of none.

"It is okay. They (states) are discussing it. As far as we are concerned, we have been saying that everyone must be treated equally. Our broad outline is justice to all, appeasement of none. This is our basic principle, we are working in accordance with it," the BJP president said.

Nadda also said every BJP worker will spend 75 hours over 10 days on the eighth anniversary of the Modi government.

Listing the various initiatives and achievements of the Narendra Modi government, he said, "The dispensation was responsible, proactive, people-centric and it confronted corruption, casteism and dynasty politics on every front."

Asserting that the common people have full faith in Prime Minister Modi, Nadda said that unlike previous governments when policies existed only on paper, "today from declaration to implementation everything is being monitored and implemented on the ground.”

The BJP is celebrating eight years of Modi government on the theme of ’service, good governance and welfare of the poor’.