Patna, Dec. 3: Chief minister Nitish Kumar today took the BJP by the horns on the Ayodhya issue.
In his first attack on the BJP since forming the government on November 20, he mocked the party by raising a slogan that was famous during the temple movement. " Mandir wahin banayenge (we will build the temple there only)," Nitish said, following it up with: "Par taarikh nahin batayenge (Will never say when)." He then said: "What kind of devotees are they? They are treating Lord Ram as a member of their party."
He said it was clear the problem could be solved legally or through mutual agreement, but instead of efforts, the BJP keeps raking up the issue. "They (the BJP) keep raising this not out of any devotion for Lord Ram, but to keep it alive, take advantage of people's sentiments and reap political benefits," he said.
Nitish's outpouring revived memories of the high-decibel confrontational campaign during the recent Assembly polls. He made the remarks while talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function organised in Patna to commemorate India's first President Rajendra Prasad's 131st birth anniversary. Governor Ram Nath Kovind also attended the function. The attack assumes significance, coming just days before the anniversary of the demolition of the Babri mosque on December 6, 1992. Also, on Wednesday, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat (65) had said in Calcutta he hoped the proposed temple at Lord Ram's birthplace in Ayodhya would come up during his lifetime. He said no one could say when or how the temple would be built, and appealed to people to be prepared for it.
Nitish, who cut off ties with the BJP in June 2013, after ruling Bihar in alliance with it for almost eight years, has always said he parted ways over secularism and tolerance.
Nitish also said the JDU was in the process of changing its election symbol from arrow to wheel to avoid confusion with the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's bow and arrow symbol.
The JMM has contested several seats in the last few elections here. It contested 31 seats in the recent polls from 62 in 2010. It had won one seat in 2010 and won none this time.
"At times, our voters mistake the bow and arrow for the JDU symbol. Many times our candidates have lost because of this confusion. Therefore there is consensus in our party to change the election symbol and we are considering wheel as an option," he said.
Nitish said talks are on with JDS leader and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and the JDU would adopt the wheel if the latter has no objections. The wheel was the symbol of the Janata Dal, founded in 1988 by former Prime Minister VP Singh.
