Govt will decide on Ram temple issue after SC verdict: Kalraj Mishra

Allahabad, Feb 8: Union minister Kalraj Mishra has said government will take a call on construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya after the Supreme Court comes out with its verdict on the appeal against the Allahabad High Court judgement on the title suit.

"We must wait till the Supreme Court comes out with its verdict. Thereafter, depending upon the situation that emerges, the Centre will take a call on the issue," he told reporters here last night.

"There has been no change in BJP's stand that Ram temple should be constructed at Ayodhya though we would proceed in a manner that is amenable to all," Mishra said.

The Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises was replying to queries about a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) meeting last week during which the Sangh Parivar outfit had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "break his silence" over the Ram Temple issue and pay a visit to Ayodhya to underscore his commitment to the cause.

"Modi is visiting places across the country and there is no reason why he will not go to Ayodhya. We respect the sentiments of our religious leaders, but they should keep in mind that the Prime Minister has to take his own decisions.

"They can rest assured that Modi will definitely go to Ayodhya at a time that he deems appropriate and also offer his prayers to Ram Lalla," Mishra said.

He said our holy men should remember that while BJP is not averse to the option of facilitating the construction of temple by an Act of Parliament, this would require support of two-thirds of the members of the House. We must, therefore, concentrate on building a consensus, he said.

The BJP leader also rubbished Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan's allegation that Modi had met underworld don Dawood Ibrahim during his recent visit to Pakistan.

"By such utterances, the senior Samajwadi Party leader is lowering the credibility of his government in the state which is already facing grave resentment due to its absolute failure in maintaining law and order," he said.

PTI