Muslims aren't against Ram Mandir: Baig

Congress MLA and former minister Roshan Baig’s statement that Indian Muslims were not opposed to the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, has stirred a debate.

Saying that Muslims respected the sentiments of the Hindu “brothers”, Baig asked, “Where else should a Ram temple be constructed other than India? should it be built in Pakistan?”

Speaking to reporters in Mandya on Wednesday, Baig had said that the BJP had the habit of politicising the Ram Mandir issue during elections and that the Muslims weren’t really opposed to the building of the temple.

“The temple will be built at some point. We are also in favour of it. Ironically, the BJP leaders themselves don’t want the temple being built. It wants to continue its divisive politics and polarising the two communities. The Muslim community is not foolish. We share harmonious relations with the Hindu brethren,” he had said.

Hitting out at the BJP for alleged attempts to bring an ordinance on the Ram temple issue, Baig wondered what the NDA government was doing for the last four-and-a-half years.

“The BJP is talking about an ordinance when the matter is before the court. But what were they doing for the last four-and-a-half years? They are doing this because there are elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.

“The BJP should stop polarising the society before elections. I want Hindus and Muslims to live peacefully,” he told reporters on Thursday.

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