Rahul Gandhi Wanted To Overturn SC Verdict In Ayodhya Case If Voted To Power: Ex-Cong Leader Acharya Pramod

Former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam made a bombshell allegation on Monday, stating that shortly after the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Ramjanmabhoomi case, Rahul Gandhi had suggested that his party would “overturn the directive regarding the Ram temple once the Congress government comes into power”.

“I have spent more than 32 years in the Congress and when the Ram Mandir decision came, Rahul Gandhi in a meeting with his close aides said that after the Congress govt is formed, they will form a superpower commission and will overturn the Ram Mandir decision just like Rajiv Gandhi overturned the Shah Bano decision…” Pramod Krishnam said.

Ram Mandir Issue

Expelled Acharya

These allegations come as the former Congress leader had been critical of the party’s decision to skip the Ram Mandir’s Pran Pratishthan ceremony on January 22. In February 2024, Congress expelled Acharya Pramod Krishnam from the party for “indiscipline” and making repeated statements against the party. Following his expulsion, Acharya Pramod Krishnam demanded the party to explain the ‘anti-party activities’ on whose grounds he was expelled.

“Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal should tell which activities are anti-party. Is taking Lord Ram’s name anti-party? Is going to Ayodhya anti-party?…Lord Rama was also sent to ‘Vanvaas’ for 14 years, since I am Ram devotee, I want that Congress party should expel me for 14 years instead of 6 years” he had said.

“There were many decisions taken by the Congress party that I did not agree with, like opposing the abrogation of Article 370. Congress should not have opposed this…Congress should not have supported DMK leaders when they compared Sanatana Dharma with Dengue, Malaria,” he had further said. Krishnam had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Lucknow on a Congress ticket but lost.

Superpower Commission

Acharya Pramod told CNN-News18 that Rahul Gandhi informed his aides that a Superpower Commission could negate the Supreme Court judgment on Ayodhya. The former Congress leader added that “When asked how this could be, Rahul asserted, ‘Of course, this can be done. A Superpower Commission can overturn SC judgment on Ayodhya.’ He reminded his aides how Rajiv Gandhi had overturned the SC judgment in the Shah Bano case, and said, ‘If Congress comes to power, it will set up a Superpower Commission to set aside Ayodhya Judgment.'”

The Shah Bano case was a landmark legal battle in India that revolved around the issue of Muslim women’s rights. Shah Bano, a Muslim woman, sought maintenance from her husband after he divorced her. The Supreme Court ruled in her favour, granting her the right to alimony under the Muslim Personal Law. At the time, former PM Rajiv Gandhi’s government introduced the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act in 1986, which aimed to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in the Shah Bano case. This move was widely criticised for succumbing to pressure from conservative Muslim groups and for being perceived as a political maneuver to appease the Muslim electorate.

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