When I went to Ayodhya a couple of years back I went to the Hanumangarhi temple and some other prominent temples there, I had a bath in the Saryu river ( I never knew it was so wide), but I refused to go to the so called ' Ram Janma Bhoomi', which had been erected on the site of the demolished Babri Masjid.
I did not go there because I regard demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992 as the greatest national crime and greatest tragedy after the Partition of India in 1947, and I refuse to convey the impression that I have condoned this crime.
No doubt a certain political party benefited from it by increasing its seats in the Lok Sabha from 2 to 184, but it was a catastrophe for the nation.
I have repeatedly said that India is a country of great diversity, and whatever act divides us is anti-national. Inciting, instigating and actually perpetrating communal acts divides our country, and therefore obstructs our progress.
India's main problems are abolition of widespread poverty and malnutrition, massive unemployment, almost total lack of healthcare and good education for our masses, etc To regard building of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya as a serious issue is really diverting the attention of the people from the real issues to non issues, and thus befooling our people to get their votes.
Those who incited communal tension and called for demolition of the Babri Masjid, and those who actually demolished it, were anti-national traitors to the nation, deserving the harshest punishment.
