New Delhi: A group of Hindutva outfits today said it will commence Ram temple construction in Ayodhya from November this year "irrespective" of whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes the initiative or not.
"If he (PM Narendra Modi) takes the initiative we will welcome it. But if he doesn't, we will still go ahead with the work. We will not depend on anyone," Goyal added. Jai Bhagwan Goyal, general secretary of United Hindu Front (UHF), told reporters here.
He said the UHF had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month asking him to "remove all the hurdles" in the way of the temple construction. The Front did not receive any response, he added.
The Rashtrawadi Shiv Sena chief said the Front was not averse to approaching "any politician/party" including Congress president Sonia Gandhi and SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav over the issue.
When reminded of a Supreme Court case in this regard, Goyal said, "We are going to construct a temple of Lord Ram, not home for us. No one is bigger than Lord Ram. We have his permission."
The Front leaders including its president Narayan Giri Maharaj and All India Hindu Mahasabha chief Chandra Prakash Kaushik release booklets whose pages can be filled with the name of Ram written in them. They also sought building up of a "cooperation fund" with contributions of Rs 11 per person.
The UHF also announced that it will build a memorial at All India Hindu Mahasabha's premise here in the memory of those "who laid their lives" in the Ram Mandir movement by April 15 when Ram Navmi will be celebrated.
