UP BJP claims Ram temple existed at disputed site

UP BJP claims Ram temple existed at disputed site
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

LUCKNOW, JAN 14: The Uttar Pradesh BJP today asserted that a Ram temple existed at the disputed site at Ayodhya and said Muslims should give up their claim.

"Hindus claim that Lord Ram was born there and a temple existed. Therefore, Muslims should give up their claim and Hindus would help them construct a mosque at Ayodhya itself," State BJP chief Kalraj Mishra, who returned from Jhansi after the state BJP executive meet, told reporters here.

"The state executive was of the opinion that a Ram temple existed at the present site at Ayodhya and prayers and offerings continued there at the make-shift temple," he said.

He appealed to Hindus and Muslims to sit together for a dialogue and help pave the way for construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya.

"There are only two options to resolve the vexed Ayodhya tangle - either the court verdict should come in favour of temple construction or Hindus and Muslims should sit-together to resolve the issue of construction of Ram temple at the sanctum sanctorum (garbh-griha)."

The state BJP president said Ram mandir was a symbol of national pride and expression of national sentiments.

He said the NDA is bound to accept the court verdict on Ayodhya or resolve the issue through mutual dialogue and "BJP is not going against this."

Mishra said "the Ayodhya issue is not alone on the agenda of BJP but every political party wants to rake it up time and again," adding "we only respond to their hue and cry."