The year was 1980s. There was no discussion of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement in the country like it was in the 1990s. The agitators were struggling for every support. In such times, Vinay Katiyar was one of the first leaders to launch a movement for the construction of Ram temple. Vinay Katiyar himself says that when even Hindutva leaders like Ashok Singhal did not talk about Ram Temple, Vinay Katiyar was ready to face lathicharge. By 1984, Vinay Katiyar had become the poster boy of Hindutva. It is not possible that Ram Mandir movement is mentioned and Vinay Katiyar’s name does not come up. He was passionate about Ram temple even then and is passionate even today. Now he is upset about the theft of jewelery in Ram temple.
Vinay Katiyar has been one of the founding leaders of Bajrang Dal. When the Ram Mandir movement started in 1984, the organization needed Hindu youth. The agitators felt the need that if the youth are not connected to religion then the movement is certain to fail. It was decided to form Bajrang Dal, whose job is to garner public support for the construction of Ram Temple.
Also read: ‘Whoever they are, they are all thieves, fire them’, Vinay Katiyar gave ultimatum.
Vinay Katiyar:-
We do not want to eat the government’s laddu on the condition of Ram Janmabhoomi. We can sacrifice everything. In 1984, I started the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Even Ashok Singhal was not there then.
Vinay Katiyar has been the hero of Bajrang Dal
Bajrang Dal was established on 8 October 1984 in Ayodhya. Vishwa Hindu Parishad was carrying out ‘Shri Ram Janaki Rath Yatra’. The then government refused to provide security. The youth of Bajrang Dal got the responsibility. Vinay Katiyar was leading the youth group of Bajrang Dal for Lord Ram.
What positions has Vinay Katiyar held?
Vinay Katiyar was MP many times. Sometimes he was in Rajya Sabha, sometimes in Lok Sabha. He has also been the General Secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party. He has also held the post of Vice President. By the year 1970, he had become the General Secretary of All India Council. He was the founder of many Hinduist organizations and became a full-time member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1980. He founded Hindu Jagran Manch. He was the main face of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. From 2002 to 2004, he was the state president of UP.
Why were you sidelined?
Vinay Katiyar has been a leader who speaks without hesitation. He kept speaking openly on the disturbances going on in the party. Vinay Katiyar, who was close to Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani, could not fit in the Bharatiya Janata Party led by Narendra Modi and Amit Shah.
What irritates Vinay Katiyar about Ram temple?
Vinay Katiyar is not in the committee formed for the construction of Ram temple. Vinay Katiyar is also not the trustee of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. Ram Mandir would never have been built on the structure on which Ram Mandir is built today, if leaders like Vinay Katiyar had not actively participated in the Ram Mandir movement. He spent two decades facing lawsuits and CBI investigation for demolishing the disputed structure. The surprising thing is that when Ram temple was ready in January 2024, Vinay Katiyar was marginalized. This thing continued to irritate Vinay Katiyar.
Also read: How are ‘Karsevaks’ of Ram Temple increasing BJP’s problems? Full story of embezzlement case
Ram temple flag hoisting was in November 2025. Vinay Katiyar had refused to go. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was coming to hoist the flag in this program but Vinay Katiyar neither met the Prime Minister nor hoisted the flag. She said that she is a person who works with independence, Ram temple has been built, now what will she do by going there.
Vinay Katiyar:-
We don’t go to the temple. Ever since the temple was built, we have visited the temple only once. My son was also with me. I told him to look wherever he likes. So one such gentleman is sitting below and asks us where is your pass? I mean, you don’t even know the one who got everything done. Everyone else comes, they come to our house, if they don’t come then we also leave, the behavior was not right. So I thought that when such a person lives here, there must be something wrong. Trouble started after 15 days. The offering that has come has been missing for so many days. We know whose role it might have played. The Prime Minister of the country has immediately imposed SIT. Today SIT is roaming, that is why we are sitting here, peacefully. But we cannot tolerate if old people mess up.
Vinay Katiyar’s pain erupts over Ram temple. Vinay Katiyar says that after the construction of Ram temple, he has gone to visit it only once or twice. Once a person associated with the temple administration had asked for a pass from him. Vinay Katiyar says that people are refusing to recognize the one who built the temple.
Vinay Katiyar says that now the administration of Ram temple is at the mercy of thieves. He does not like Champat Rai. He says that a lot of treasures of Ram temple have been stolen. The committee formed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Yogi Adityanath will separate milk from milk. Thieves will be caught. Champat Rai and Nripendra Mishra are troublesome in the eyes of Vinay Katiyar.
Why did Vinay Katiyar reach the margins?
Political analysts say that Bharatiya Janata Party has now come out of the shadow of Atal and Advani era. It had started from 2014 itself. Vinay Katiyar could not adapt to the new trend. In the 1990s, when the Ram Janmabhoomi movement was at its peak, Vinay Katiyar had become popular in the image of a Hindutva leader with extreme Hindutva. He was an expert in gathering crowds on the streets. He remained dominant till 2004, then by 2014 he started moving away from active politics.
BJP changed its colors under the leadership of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Old leaders were sidelined and leaders from other parties started getting preference in the party. Its hallmark is visible from Madhya Pradesh to Assam and now to West Bengal. Vinay Katiyar was a staunch Hindu leader, BJP has also changed its tone on Hindutva. Vinay Katiyar’s nationalism could not match the nationalism of modern BJP.
Also read: Embezzlement in Ram temple, who are the 5 characters who got infamous? 2.98 crore recovered so far
BJP is now preparing the next generation leaders. Vinay Katiyar comes from the Kurmi community. BJP has prepared many leaders of this community. Anupriya Patel, president of BJP’s ally Apna Dal (S), is also from the same party. BJP is now creating social equations, the focus of the party is Hindutva but has also shifted to caste Hindutva.
BJP, like Samajwadi parties, is now working on social engineering formula, in which Vinay Katiyar is also not able to fit. Vinay Katiyar’s politics was based on Ram temple, the construction of Ram temple has been completed. BJP has neither fielded him in the Lok Sabha nor is sending him to the Rajya Sabha. Neither is giving him any constitutional post. BJP has long left the leaders of the movement behind. His role has now gone beyond the Margdarshak Mandal also.
What is the danger of Vinay Katiyar speaking?
Vinay Katiyar is criticizing the Ram Temple donation, the pressure on BJP is increasing. Even though the Ram Mandir Teerth Kshetra Trust looks after the functioning and administration of the temple, people believe that whatever work is done from the functioning of the Ayodhya temple to the trust itself, is done at the behest of BJP. The more aggressively Vinay Katiyar speaks, the opposition will get a chance to speak against BJP.
Vinay Katiyar, Champat Rai and the entire management have been called thieves. He has described the role of even Gopal and Nripendra Mishra as suspicious. There has been theft worth crores in Ram temple, regarding which Vinay Katiyar, Champat Rai and other officials are raising doubts. He says that all these are thieves, they need to be thrown out. Now the opposition people are cornering the BJP government by quoting Vinay Katiyar’s statements. People are raising questions that if Champat Rai’s close ones are trapped then what is the reason for his continuing in the trust till now. The entire trust should be dissolved and new officials should be appointed.
Comments are closed.