Though the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid movement raised many a political, socio-religious, and legal controversies from the past 22 years the Uttar Pradesh government has so far quietly earned a whopping 300 crore from thronged devotees and pilgrims who was visiting the disputed place where an idol of Ram Lalla was installed after demolishing a mosque in 1992. BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy revealed the figures before the Supreme Court, who wanted the court to issue a direction to the Uttar Pradesh government to explain what they had done with the money so far.

"Every day thousands of devotees throng the place for 'darshan' and 'pooja' of the Ram Lalla, but the government has not provided basic minimum facilities to them. The RTI reply says the government has so far earned approximately `300 crore from the entry tickets. Where has this money gone? What has been done with it?"Asked Swamy. Swamy said the status quo order passed by the apex court in 1996 was limited to prohibit building of any structure at the disputed site but there was no bar on construction to facilitate amenities for pilgrims visiting the place.

A bench headed by H.L. Dattu, Chief Justice of India assured Swamy that it will hear the petition after the petitions pending in the court filed by Ram Janmabhoomi Samiti and Sunni Waqf Board in August 2011 challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict of the three-way division of the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya. It is to be noted that Swamy had, in August this year, urged PM Narendra Modi to initiate steps to rebuild the Ram temple in Ayodhya by 2016 and "fulfill the party's commitment to the electorate."

(Manohar)