The Supreme Court is preparing to deliver its verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute after the arguments concluded on Wednesday. The Supreme Court is preparing to deliver its verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute after the arguments concluded on Wednesday.

A BJP leader in Uttar Pradesh asked people to buy “iron swords instead of gold jewellery and silver vessels” on Dhanteras.

“The Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya issue is expected soon and we are confident that it will be in favour of the Ram temple. However, this could vitiate the atmosphere, so it is advisable to stock iron swords instead of gold jewellery and silver vessels. These swords will be useful for our own protection when such a time comes,” BJP’s city president for Deoband, Gajraj Rana told reporters.

However, the BJP leader clarified that his statement was “a suggestion” and that “nothing more should be read into it”.

“Even in our rituals, we worship weapons and our Gods and Goddesses have used weapons depending on circumstances. My statement was in reference to the current changing environment and a suggestion to the members of my community. Nothing more should be read into it,” he said.

Distancing itself from the remarks, the saffron party’s spokesperson for Uttar Pradesh, Chandramohan said, “The BJP does not endorse this kind of language if it has been used by him. Whatever he has said is in his personal capacity. There is a very clear guideline for the party leaders. Any action or statement must be done or said within the ambit of law and no one is above the law.”

The Supreme Court is preparing to deliver its verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute after the arguments concluded on Wednesday. The verdict is expected before Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, heading the bench, retires on November 17.

This is not for the first time that Rana has made a controversial statement. On the eve of the Lok Sabha election campaign, the BJP leader had stated that “Darul Uloom (in Deoband) is synonymous with terrorism”.

He had also once said that “there is a ‘Shiv Ling’ inside the Mecca and Hindus used to live there once”.

(With inputs from IANS)

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