BJP’s manifesto for the 2014 elections pledged that they will construct Ram Mandir under their governance. The Ram Mandir construction has become more of an agenda for getting vote banks than an actual concern. The manifesto reads, “BJP reiterates its stand to explore all possibilities within the framework of the Constitution to facilitate the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. “The issue of construction of the Ram Mandir took a violent turn when in 1992, Babri Masjid was demolished by Hindu nationalists which led to a widespread Hindu-Muslim violence.

How has BJP used Ram Mandir as an election agenda?

BJP has portrayed itself to be in favor of the development of the Ram Mandir and has used it for their benefit again and again. They have put forth to the public the same promises in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and again in the 2017 state elections. The issue has become nothing more than a point in their manifesto as they aim to get the support of the majority by targeting such a delegate issue. It seems that the same agenda will also be carried forward in the next Lok Sabha elections while there won’t be any steps in the construction of the Ram Mandir in the near future. They seem to be exploiting the feeling of the general public for their own profits.

In 2010, after sixty years since the matter first went into litigation, it was held by the learned Allahabad High court by a full bench that two-third of the Ayodhya site belongs to Hindu while the remaining one-third to the Waqf Board. Since then people have been anxiously waiting for the construction of the Ram Mandir. People had high hopes when Bharatiya Janta Party came into power as BJP had promised that it will build the Ram Mandir. Subramaniam Swamy has played a key role in the Ram Mandir issue and in the year 2016 he believed that that the Supreme Court will give a decision in their favor and the construction would have begun till the year end of 2016, but as we know that did not happen. BJP is still saying that they are confident that they will build the Ram Mandir and they have again used this issue in the Uttar Pradesh state elections. The appointment of Yogi Adityanath as the Chief Minister of UP has also given hopes to the people.

Can Ram Mandir be built by a legislation?

After Supreme Court suggested that the parties should settle the dispute by an out-of-court settlement, BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy has said that talks won’t work and his party is going to build the Ram Mandir through a legislation by 2024. For doing so BJP needs to obtain a majority in the Rajya Sabha as of now they only have a majority in the Lok Sabha. BJP believes that they will be able to secure a clear majority in the Rajya Sabha by 2018 and then they will make sure that the construction of the Ram Mandir is done with by 2024.

Can a temple be built through an out-of-court or court-led compromise?

The people’s opinions have been divided on the issue and it seems highly unlikely that any decision can be reached via talks. The latest attempt for an out-of-court settlement was made in 2016 by the former Allahabad High Court judge Palok Basu and the Ayodhya-Faizabad Citizens Committee, which turned out to be a failure. The best way to settle the disputes is by the decision of the Supreme Court. Both the parties are in agreement that the Supreme Court must decide on the issue.

If the Supreme court decides in favor of the construction of the Ram Mandir only then one can expect it to be built soon otherwise if any other course is taken like via a legislation, then the people have to wait for a bit longer as the BJP is not in majority in the Rajya Sabha right now.