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Nirmohi Akhara must join other saints for temple construction, says Ram Lalla’s ‘next friend’
Triloki Nath Pandey, who represented Ram Lalla Virajman in the Supreme Court as the child deity’s ‘next friend’, has urged the Nirmohi Akhara to join other saints
Triloki Nath Pandey, who represented Ram Lalla Virajman in the Supreme Court as the child deity’s ‘next friend’, has urged the Nirmohi Akhara to join other saints in construction of the Ram temple.
Pandey, who belongs to Ballia district, had joined the RSS in 1964. He was appointed the zila pracharak of Ballia in 1975, came to Ayodhya in 1983 and has been living here since then.
Devki Nandan Agarwal, the late judge of the Allahabad high court, had filed a petition in the Faizabad district court on July 1, 1989, in connection with the Ayodhya dispute, on behalf of Ram Lalla Virajman.
After Agarwal’s death, TP Varma took his place. In February 2008, Pandey, who is now a VHP leader, took over the case after Varma’s death.
The Supreme Court verdict is in favour of Ram temple. How do you see this verdict?
I welcome the court’s decision. It is a historic judgment. The court’s judgment is on facts that were submitted before it during the course of the hearing.
The Supreme Court has accepted your role, but has rejected the Nirmohi Akhara’s application?
We all want construction of Ram temple. Even Nirmohi Akhara’s views on Ram temple are not different from my views. I appeal to the Nirmohi Akhara to join the saints in construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The Supreme Court has also ordered the Centre to give five-acre land in Ayodhya for construction of a mosque. Your views.
The VHP is never against any religion. My opposition was only to Babri Masjid, not to any other mosque. I am still firm on my stand. A mosque can be constructed in Ayodhya, but not Babri Masjid.
