Prakash Javadekar denies Ram temple trust’s link to Delhi polls

The Supreme Court had directed the government to form the trust within three months and the deadline was ending on February 9.

Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Wednesday said it would be incorrect to link the decision of the Union Cabinet to form an independent trust to oversee the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya with the Delhi Assembly polls. “This is the decision taken for the temple in Ayodhya. Nothing to do with Delhi. The whole country is not under elections. Let us not confuse the situation,” he told reporters at the briefing of decisions taken by the Union Cabinet.

Prakash Javadekar address the media regarding the ongoing protests at Shaheen Bagh against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), ahead of the Delhi Vidhan Sabha elections. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

He was asked why the decision was announced on Wednesday and not on Sunday after the Delhi elections.

The Supreme Court had directed the government to form the trust within three months and the deadline was ending on February 9.

Asked whether the Election Commission’s nod was taken before the Cabinet decision on the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra, Javadekar said “It is a Supreme Court order. So I think Supreme Court by name is supreme.” He refused to entertain questions on the opposition questioning the timing of the decision, stating that he would not say anything from a government platform.

He said questions regarding the trust would be answered by Home Minister Amit Shah.