Ram Mandir Via Ordinance or Law: Will Modi Government Adopt Somnath Route For Ayodhya?

New Delhi, October 29: As the Supreme Court on Monday deferred the final set of hearings on Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid row to January next year, proponents of temple at the disputed site have appealed the Narendra Modi government to adopt the Somnath route to surpass the judicial hurdle.

"We appeal the Prime Minister to replicate what happened in Somnath. A historical wrong was turned right. Why can't the same be done in Ayodhya," questioned Noida-resident Balram Deshmukh, who claims to have participated in the kar seva of 1992.

About the 'Somnath Route'

In 1950, the first government of independent India passed a law to reconstruct the Somnath temple in Junagadh -- a princely province which was then recently attached to the Indian Union.

After the passage of the law, a committee was formed under the then Union Minister KM Munshi. Following an archeological survey of the site, a blueprint was formed to restore the Somnath temple.

The temple was reconstructed at the disputed site in Junagadh, and the mosque was crane lifted and relocated at another site few kilometres away.

Proponents of Somnath Route For Ayodhya:

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was quoted as pitching for the Somnath route by a leading English daily on Sunday. The BJP leader, while claiming that Ram Mandir is not a poll issue for the party, said "the Parliament can make a law. In the past, it had done so in case of Somnath temple."

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, in the past week, pitched for an ordinance for constructing a Ram temple at the disputed site, if the court verdict is further delayed. "If an ordinance can be issued for triple talaq, then why can't they do the same for constructing the Ram Mandir," said Thackeray, who would be visiting Ayodhya on November 25.

Notably, the adoption of Somnath route in Ayodhya was pitched by the ruling BJP as early as 1998, when party veteran and the then UP CM Kalyan Singh had suggested the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led Centre for passing a law.

"The Parliament can bring a law for the proposed Ram temple in Ayodhya. Such a legislation had earlier cleared the reconstruction of Somnath temple in Gujarat. Even Mahatma Gandhi had given formal nod to the plan," he had said.

Why Somnath may not be a template for Ayodhya:

Zafaryab Jilani, one of the petitioners representing the Muslim side, had earlier said that a legislation on the matter would be "insulting" the mandate of the Supreme Court.

Even if such a legislation is passed in the Lok Sabha, it would need the assent of the Rajya Sabha, before the President's nod. Not only does the BJP lacks a majority in the Upper House, a section of its allies may not support the proposed Bill.

According to Jilani, the legislation could be up for judicial scrutiny even if it gets passed through both Houses of the Parliament.

The same apprehension was expressed by Devendra Fadnavis, who said, "The problem with making a law is that the Congress is unlikely to support the Ram temple. The BJP does not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha, which is mandatory to get the law passed. We hope the court will give a positive decision on the matter."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 29, 2018 08:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).