All this while, BJP has baked politics on the Ram Temple at Ayodhya wherein the Aam Aadmi Party made Hanuman its saviour. AAP often invoked Lord Hanuman’s name during its campaigning exercises for the recently concluded Delhi assembly elections that was swept by the party. Two days ago, AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj, as promised earlier, organised the recitation of ‘Sundar Kand’ at a Hanuman temple in South Delhi’s Chirag Dilli area that falls under his constituency of Greater Kailash. Bhardwaj has now suggested that a grand statue of Lord Hanuman be built at the Ram Temple premises. Both AAP and the BJP had sparred over related issues during the poll campaign. BJP had trolled Kejriwal’s frequent visits to the Hanuman temple while campaigning for Delhi assembly polls. While the BJP accused Kejriwal’s party of supporting Shaheen Bagh protestors by feeding them ‘Biryani’ and speaking in Pakistan’s language, Kejriwal termed the BJP leaders as “pseudo Hindus”.
Said AAP National Executive Member, Preeti Sharma Menon, “In our party, the are Hindus, Muslims whose religion is their private affairs. Yes, you will see their religious display sometimes in public because they are public figures. But religion is not a part of our politics. Our agendas are the same, ‘Bijli, Pani , Sadak, Ghar, Sehat and Sikhsha’, Kyuki hamari kaam ki rajneeti hain.’ That is why we are the only party in the country that has won on the basis of work.”
Bharadwaj’s suggestion for a Hanuman statue in the premises of the Ram Temple comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s former principal secretary Nripendra Misra was appointed as the head of the Ram Temple trust formed to oversee the construction of the temple in Ayodhya. The trust also indicated on Thursday that the construction of the temple could start within 6 months’ time and take over two years to complete.
“I think a grand statue of Hanuman ji should be built in the Ram Temple premises as Hanuman ji was Lord Ram’s favourite. Hanuman ji is a symbol of selfless service,” Bharadwaj said without naming Ayodhya.
BJP leader Neeldaman Khatri said, “I don’t think so there is any problem if the AAP is following the Hanuman agenda. Infact, now the AAP is treading on the right path. Whether it is Ram or Lord Hanuman, everyone has a duty to worship them. I don’t think so they are doing anything wrong.”
Bharadwaj said a recitation of ‘Sunder Kand’ a chapter in Ramcharitmanas written by poet Tulsidas that talks about Hanuman’s visit to Lanka will be held on the first Tuesday of every month in many areas of his constituency.
AAP convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had recited ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ at several events before the elections and visited a famous temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman on the eve of the voting. It is expected that the temple at Ayodhya will be built on the lines of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)’s model.
