Lucknow: The Bajrang Dal is all set to enrol 25,000 “Ram soldiers” to prepare them for the movement for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.
These volunteers will be administered a pledge to build Ram temple and will take part in the “Trishul Diksha” programme that will take place at 100 places in Uttar Pradesh till December 18.
According to Bholendra, secretary of Avadh Prant, the Trishul Diksha programme is held from time to time to inculcate the feeling of patriotism.
“We also hold programme to give military training to the youth which is a part of our culture and is required to protect the culture and religion,” he said.
He said that 10,000 volunteers had already been enrolled and trained and the remaining 15,000 would be enrolled soon. “These volunteers will remain prepared to reach Ayodhya at a short notice when temple construction begins,” he added.
UP Cabinet minister Shrikant Sharma defended the initiative and said that such programmes are carried out by different groups for expansion.
“The BJP is committed towards its promise of Ram temple construction. However, everyone wants to know the stand of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his party over the Ayodhya dispute. Rahul Gandhi is a fake and his temple visits are politically motivated,” he said.
The Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) has slammed the government for allowing groups to provoke people over Ram temple construction.
“We all want Ram temple construction in Ayodhya but we will let the Supreme Court settle the dispute. The BJP and its supporting groups are raising this issue to get political advantage. This government has not fulfilled its promises. The government should focus on development rather than raising such issues,” said UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar, who is also the SBSP president.
Congress spokesman Dujendra Tripathi, meanwhile, said that this was a time-tested strategy of BJP and its fringe groups to provoke the people and revive the Ram temple issue. He said that with elections round the corner, the BJP was trying to gain political mileage on the religious issue, using organisations like Bajrang Dal.
