Temple issue resolution on NDA agenda, UP BJP chief

Temple issue resolution on NDA agenda, UP BJP chief
UNITED NEWS OF INDIA

LUCKNOW, JAN 14: The Uttar Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party today said resolution of the Ayodhya issue was very much on the agenda of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre.

The constituents of the NDA favoured a court verdict or an amicable solution of the vexed temple issue, state BJP chief Kalraj Mishra told mediapersons here.

``These are the two points the BJP has been raising for quite some time,'' he said, indicating the stance of the party and the NDA agenda were the same on the Ayodhya issue.

In a press conference at the party's state headquarters, he said there was a temple at the disputed site for ``all the practical purposes'' and the only thing remaining was ``to give grandeur to the temple''. He said ``darshan'' was already on at the makeshift Ram temple in Ayodhya.

He said he was issuing a fresh appeal to the Muslims to support the Hindus for the construction of a ``grand Ram temple''.

Mishra said the Muslims could be allowed to construct a mosque elsewhere. He said the BJP was still looking for a peaceful solution of the problem through negotiations.

Both the communities should come to the negotiating table with a ``broad outlook'', he said.

He said not only the NDA, the Ayodhya issue was even on the agenda of the opposition. ``If this was not so, the opposition parties would not have disrupted proceedings of parliament for several days (in the winter session),'' he said.

Mishra blamed the opposition for vitiating the atmosphere by issuing malafide statements against the BJP. It was the opposition, that was trying to create communal disharmony while the stance of the BJP had been ``crystal clear'' so far as the Ayodhya issue was concerned, he added.

The UP unit of the BJP had sought the construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya in its executive meeting that concluded at Jhansi on Friday, the first time since the BJP-led NDA came to power at the Centre.

Mishra said he saw ``nothing wrong'' with the statement of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee that the construction of Ram temple was an expression of national sentiments.

The state BJP chief said the state party executive had met in the ``most cordial'' atmosphere and the perfect combination of the government and the organisation had come in for a praise from the senior leaders of the party.

He said the BJP was committed to improving the lot of the farmers and the neglected people. Several initiatives in this regard were applauded during the two-day state executive meeting, he added.

He asked the so-called secular parties to shun their ``negative approach'' and to allow the BJP to do ``some work'' for the people's welfare and development.