New Delhi: 'Saints' know the 2019 general election is round the corner. The top sadhus associated with the Ram Janambhoomi Movement have congregated in Delhi for a closed-door meeting to strategize how to mount pressure on the Narendra Modi government to expedite the process.

Venue

The meeting that is attended by the most respected sadhus from across India is happening under the umbrella of Sant Ucchadhikari Samiti at Vishwa Hindu Parishad's (VHP) headquarters at the Sankat Mochan Ashram in RK Puram, Delhi. The organiser are holding the event away from the media glare deliberately, with television cameras only allowed briefly for a photo opportunity.

Attendees

Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, who is also the Ram Janma Bhoomi Trust president, attended the meet. He is a key figure of the movement whose very presence adds the required gravitas to the congregation. Apart from him, Paramanand Maharaj is a part of the huddle.

Agenda

Sources told MyNation that the sadhus would want day-to-day hearing of the case at the Supreme Court to decide the title suit over the disputed land in Ayodhya. Failing that, the saints want to pressure the Narendra Modi government to bring in an ordinance to facilitate the construction of Ram temple on the disputed plot.
Throughout November, sources said, the sadhus will build the pressure. They will meet with MPs of different constituencies and finally President Ram Nath Kovind and the Prime Minister, the sources added.

Threat

Though Nritya Gopal Das refrained from issuing a direct threat, another influential saint Ramvilas Vedanti has clearly said if the government fails to bring an ordinance before December 6 this year, the day when Babri structure was brought down in 1992, the "process of building the Ram temple will start" by means of karseva (voluntary religious service). That could be a challenge for the administration and police, as witnessed during the build-up to the demolition of the Babri structure in 1992.

'Suggestions'

However, Vishwesh Tirth Maharaj was not as outspoken. He "advised" the government to call a joint session of Parliament to pass an act in this regard.  He was clear in his approach, too: "We will not settle for anything less than a Ram Mandir".

Shankaracharya Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati, another known face associated with the movement, said the expectation from a government led by none other than Narendra Modi were high. Hence, his government must pave the road to "Ram rajya".

Will government listen?

Whether the Modi government will pay heed to the saints, or how sympathetic it is to the cause, is debatable. Particularly when the apex court is seized of the matter!

Also, bringing an ordinance has law and order implications, as cited by a union minister to journalists off-the-record. But almost all BJP MPs from Uttar Pradesh in their report submitted to Amit Shah after being asked to a few months ago cited two main reasons for "disgruntlement" of their core constituency. One of the reasons, they said, was the ordinance that was hurriedly brought in to undo the judgment of Supreme Court that added safeguards to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The other clearly is disenchantment with the dishonoured promise of Ram Mandir. The Congress and BSP are fanning the public resentment, a BJP MP added, against the ruling BJP.

When BJP president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Modi sit down and brainstorm over the public sentiment, they will weigh in both the sides. For now, with general elections knocking at the doors, the sadhus have upped the ante and the BJP is finding itself in an unenviable situation where it can't offend or appease its traditional, core constituency.