February 21, 2003

Press Statement

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

Prime Minister's Remarks Condemned

The Prime Minister Vajpayee has shifted from the stand taken by  his government that the issue of the Ram temple at Ayodhya can be decided by a court verdict. In a speech during the election campaign in Himachal Pradesh, he has contended  that there is historical evidence to prove  that there existed a temple at the site.  Further he has stated that if this cannot be proved, let the court decide the matter.  As far as historical evidence is concerned, this issue has already been disposed off with the Supreme Court refusing to entertain a reference to go into the historical and archeological evidence. 

The entire dispute is already in the judicial  process with the title deed suit being heard by the  Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court.  The statement of Prime Minister Vajpayee is a signal that his government is resiling from the stand that the courts will decide the matter and everybody has to abide by it.  Coupled with the move  by the Centre to get the stay vacated on handing over any portion  of the acquired land at  Ayodhya, the government is clearly taking a partisan stand in favour of the RSS-VHP combine.  The Prime Minister stance portends the undermining of the rule of law. 

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) strongly condemns these remarks of the Prime Minister which will only further aggravate the situation.