When the Narendra Modi government can repeal the farm laws keeping in mind protests by farmers, it can also withdraw the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, to pave way for the construction of a grand temple at Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, BJP MP Ravindra Kushwaha said.
The act prohibits conversion of any place of worship and provides for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947. The law, however, exempted litigation on the ownership over Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute.
"The BJP has a clear view regarding Ayodhya, Kashi (Varanasi) and Mathura since the beginning. These three are a matter of faith for us. Our religion is associated with these religious places,” Kushwaha said.
"Our origin is from this (Mathura) place. This is a matter of country's pride," the MP from Ballia told reporters Sunday.
"Ayodhya has been decided, work is on in Kashi Vishwanath temple and now it’s the turn of Mathura," he said.
When asked whether one can go against the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, Khushwaha said, "While taking note of farmers’ protests, agri laws were withdrawn. Similarly, the Modi government can withdraw this act also."
"Four-five hundred years ago, why did they have to construct their religious place in front of our temple, did they not have any other place?" he said, adding now Mathura will be “freed”. He was apparently referring to Muslims for constructing a mosque.
"Which of their 'Paigambar' was born there so that a mosque needed to exist there," Kushwaha said.
Referring to Muslims, he said their "Paigambar" (God or Prophet) is "adrishya" (invisible) and it is not necessary that a mosque exists in front of a popular Sri Krishna temple.
When asked why this issue is being raked up ahead of the Assembly polls, the BJP leader said, "When there can be the talk of caste, there can be alliance on basis of caste, then one can also talk about Sri Krishna."
“Like Ayodhya, a start has been made on Mathura and someday, it will also be taken care of,” he said.
Kushwaha’s remarks come days after Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya stirred a controversy by saying that the ruling BJP is preparing to build a temple in Mathura.
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The supposed temple site in Mathura, which is a subject of multiple lawsuits, is located inside an Aurangzeb-era mosque and shares its premises with a prominent temple.
Earlier, rightwing groups had given a call that they would place a Krishna idol inside the Shahi Idgah Masjid, which shares its boundary with the temple, on December 6