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The Bhartiya Janata Party, consciously deciding to steer clear of its close association with the Ram temple, switched gears, and said that the issue would not remain a part of their political agenda anymore. But at the same time, called for all communities to join hands to pave bay for building a temple at the site.
Replying to questions, BJP National spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad told mediapersons on Friday, "The Ram temple is not an election related issue for us; but at the same time we cannot ignore how close it is to the cultural ethos of this country."
He added, "Now that the High Court has given its verdict on the issue and none of the three judges on the special bench have disputed the fact that the site of the temple was the birthplace of Lord Ram, it is high time that all political parties sink their differences on the issue and all communities join hands to pave way for building a grand temple at that place."
Party President Nitin Gadkari also preferred to attach more importance to issues like corruption, terrorism and India-Pakistan relations.
He also flayed the United Progressive Alliance government for being 'corrupt to the core', while highlighting its failures and questioning its controversial decisions.
Referring to the recent bash thrown by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to mark the completion of second term of the UPA, Gadkari said, "I fail to understand what the celebration was all about: was it about scaling new heights in corruption, or was it meant to rejoice because foreign investments have dropped and unemployment is on the rise?"
He added, "Never before in history so many top leaders connected with the ruling dispensation have been lodged together in Tihar jail for their misdeeds."
Emphasising that "BJP's ultimate goal is to rid India of hunger, and corruption", Gadkari said, "I have always been of the view that we must not allow politics to be made a source of income."
He called upon partymen to fan out across the country and mobilise mass support for a five-point anti-corruption programme.
This included "appointment of an independent Lokpal to keep a vigil against corruption in high places; setting up of a National Judicial Commission to regulate appointment of judges and to keep a check on corruption in the higher judiciary; open voting in the election of members to the upper house of legislature in states; enactment for forfeiture of ill-gotten wealth by public servants; and a legislation to ban entry of criminals into electoral politics."