PM Modi's 'Babri Lock On Ram Temple' Charge As BJP Mounts Attack On Congress Over Pramod Krishnam's Claims

PM Modi urges voters to support the BJP-led NDA with 400 seats to prevent the Congress from putting a "babri lock" on the Ram temple as the BJP mounts attack citing suspended Congress leader Pramod Krishnam's claim.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a public meeting for Lok Sabha polls in Khargone, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. ( Image Source :PTI )

In a fiery address at a rally in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, expressing fears of a potential revival of Article 370 in Kashmir and a hindrance to the Ram temple in Ayodhya if the BJP-led NDA does not secure a commanding 400-seat majority in Parliament. PM Modi's assault on the Congress comes as Union Ministers Anurag Thakur and Smriti Irani iterated similar accusations while the Congress has dismissed the claims. 

Speaking to the gathered crowd, Modi reiterated the significance of the BJP-led NDA's current parliamentary strength, underscoring its pivotal role in the abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. He warned against the Congress potentially reinstating the article and putting a "babri lock" on the the Ram temple.

The Prime Minister stated, "It is important for the country's people to know the BJP-led NDA already has 400-plus seats in Parliament. We used this number to scrap Article 370... Modi wants 400 seats so that the Congress won't bring back Article 370 to spoil the game and put a Babri lock on the Ram temple in Ayodhya."

Dhar, Madhya Pradesh "Modi needs 400 seats so that Congress does not put Babri lock on Ram Temple in Ayodhya..." says PM Modi pic.twitter.com/mLAzcWfKe5

— IANS (@ians_india) May 7, 2024

The Prime Minister also recounted his recent challenges to the Congress, urging them to clarify their stance on religious-based reservations and assure the protection of existing quotas for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.

Congress Party Says PM Modi Is 'Distraught', Dismisses Ram Mandir Charge

On the other hand, Congress party's senior leader Pawan Khera dismissed the allegation asserting that they have always chosen to leave the outcome to the court, contrasting it with the BJP's stance which he alleged kept changing every three years.

‘परेशान प्रधान मंत्री ने आज कहा कि अगर कांग्रेस की सरकार बनी तो सर्वोच्च न्यायालय द्वारा दिये गये राम मंदिर के निर्णय को पलट दिया जाएगा।
वे भूल गए कि सिर्फ़ कांग्रेस पार्टी इस विवाद की शुरुआत से अंत तक अपने स्टैंड पर अडिग रही कि अगर इस विवाद को आपसी सुलह से नहीं सुलझाया जा सके… pic.twitter.com/aRO1EtCFAj

— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) May 7, 2024

"The distraught Prime Minister today said the Supreme Court's verdict on Ram Mandir will be overturned if the Congress forms the government. They forgot that only the Congress Party remained firm on its stand from the beginning till the end of this dispute that if this dispute could not be resolved through mutual reconciliation, then the decision of the court would be final. Whereas BJP kept changing its stand every 3-4 years," he remarked, claiming that the previous BJP leadership denied giving any importance to the court hearing.

"BJP used to say what is the role of the court in this? Then it admitted that only the court has a role in (resolving) this," he said.

On PM Modi's fresh allegation on Ram Mandir, Khera commented, "This is proof that the Prime Minister does not trust the constitutional system."

BJP's Anurag Thakur, Smriti Irani Echoe Suspended Congress Leader Pramod Krishnam's Claim

BJP's Anurag Thakur accused the Congress of advocating for the reconstruction of the Babri Masjid and undermining Hindu traditions, while Irani alleged that Rahul Gandhi had intentions to review the Supreme Court's verdict on the Ram Mandir.

 "Pakistan is openly supporting Congress. They are praising Congress and Rahul Gandhi. They (Congress) are saying that they will rebuild the Babri Masjid and eradicate Sanatan Dharma," Union Minister Anurag Thakur said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

VIDEO | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: "Pakistan is openly supporting Congress. They are praising Congress and Rahul Gandhi. They (Congress) are saying that they will rebuild the Babri Masjid and eradicate Sanatan Dharma," says Union Minister Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur).… pic.twitter.com/FcSqRbCMuF

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 7, 2024

Union Minister Smriti Irani slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying, "A Congress leader revealed that the Gandhi family wants to review the verdict on the Ram Mandir. No Congress leader has officially commented on this matter yet", IANS reported.

Union Minister Smriti Irani slams Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, says, "A Congress leader revealed that the Gandhi family wants to review the verdict on the Ram Mandir. No Congress leader has officially commented on this matter yet" pic.twitter.com/thudJQr1jy

— IANS (@ians_india) May 7, 2024

Smriti Irani was referring to former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam's claims that  Rahul Gandhi had expressed intentions to overturn the Supreme Court's decision on the Ram Mandir if the grand old party came to power.

"I have spent more than 32 years in the Congress and when the Ram Mandir decision came, after getting advised from his wellwisher in America, Rahul Gandhi in a meeting with his close aides said that after the Congress government is formed, they will form a superpower commission and will overturn the Ram Mandir decision just like Rajiv Gandhi overturned the Shah Bano decision," Acharya Pramod Krishnam told ANI.

#WATCH | Sambal, Uttar Pradesh: Former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam says, "I have spent more than 32 years in the Congress and when the Ram Mandir decision came, Rahul Gandhi in a meeting with his close aides said that after the Congress govt is formed, they will form… pic.twitter.com/Qpgs91XPZT

— ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2024

On a related note, in a widely-shared clip, Irani reiterated the accusations against the Congress while addressing a gathering where she is heard saying, "If power falls into the hands of Rahul Gandhi and the Gandhi family, they will completely change the decision regarding the construction of the Ram temple... Will you allow anything to happen to this temple? Will anyone dare to cast an eye on the Ram temple?"

Good morning @ECISVEEP.
Wake up! We're in the 3rd phase. pic.twitter.com/No3XD1tAHD

— PuNsTeR™ (@Pun_Starr) May 7, 2024

"And if Modi wasn't there, would the Ram temple have been built? So, today I have come to tell you that earlier Congress and the Gandhi family used to meddle with the earnings of the poor, today Congress and the Gandhi family want to tarnish our faith. They want to reverse the decision to construct our temple," she added.