VHP, Ayodhya saints term Rahul’s visit ‘politically motivated’

Lucknow, Sep 9 (PTI) Vishwa Hindu Parishad and a sectionof saints of Ayodhya today termed Rahul Gandhi’s Hanuman Garhi’darshan’ "politically motivated" insisting it would not yieldany result without ‘darshan’ of Ramlala. Earlier in the day, the Congress Vice President offeredprayers at the Hanuman Garhi Temple but stayed away from thedisputed Ramjanmbhoomi-Babri Masjid site. "The Darshan of Hanumanji is incomplete without payingobeisance to Lord Ram. Has Rahul not paid obeisance to Ramlalato appease the Muslims? His family members had also doneincomplete ‘darshan’ and the results are visible," VHPspokesman Sharad Sharma said. Member Ram Janmbhoom Trust, Mahant Suresh Das ofDigambar Akhara said Rahul having ‘darshan’ of Hanuman Garhiwas "politically motivated". "Before praying to Hanumanji, he forgot to bow beforehis Lord Ram," he added. Similarly, Chairman, Ram Janm Bhoomi Trust, Mahant NrityaGopal Das’ heir Mahant Kamal Nayan Das said ‘darshan andpujan’ is right of every Hindu but it yields positive resultswhen rituals are duly followed. "Hanumanji fulfils desire of those who pray before him buthe also sees his behaviours towards Lord Ram, who he used tofollow," he said. In a bid to woo Hindu voters in 2017 Assembly polls in UP,Rahul offered prayers at the Hanuman Garhi Temple, becomingthe first member of the Nehru-Gandhi family to visit Ayodhyasince the demolition of the disputed structure in 1992. Hanuman Garhi is about a kilometre from the Ram Temple atthe disputed Ramjanmbhoomi-Babri Masjid site but Rahul stayedaway from the place of ‘shilanyas’, the foundation stone thathad been laid there in 1989 for construction of the RamTemple. PTI ABN TIR ZMNTIR