DMK leader and Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Thursday said his party is not against the Ram temple at Ayodhya but is opposed to the shrine coming up after "demolishing a mosque".
The late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi had stated that DMK is not against a particular religion or faith, Udhayanidhi Stalin said, speaking to reporters in Chennai.
"We don't have a problem with a temple coming up there. We are not in agreement with the construction of a temple after demolishing a mosque," the DMK Youth Wing chief said, referring to the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992.
"Our Treasurer (T R Baalu) has already stated that spiritualism and politics should not be mixed," Udhayanidhi Stalin, who holds the state Youth Welfare and Sports Development portfolio, said.
The consecration of the grand temple at Ramjanmabhoomi in Ayodhya will be held on January 22.
To a question on the NEET exam that Tamil Nadu has been battling to do away with, Udhayanidhi Stalin said the party has received about 85 lakh signatures against the target of 50 lakh, as part of its anti-NEET campaign. They would be handed over to party president and Chief Minister M K Staling during the January 21 Youth Wing conference in Salem.
Later, the signatures, which have been received online and through post, would be handed over to the President in New Delhi, he added.
Around 3-4 lakh participants are expected to attend the Salem conference, he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Ayodhya Ram Temple To Not Use Chinese Decorative Items During Diwali: Trust Udhayanidhi Stalin Must Adhere To Government Dress Code, Says AIADMK Ayodhya's Ram Temple To Be Lit Up With 28 Lakh Diyas For Diwali Amazon Employee Greets Friend At Wedding, Dies Of Cardiac Arrest This Asian City Is Emerging As Sex Tourism Hub. It's Not Where You Think Maharashtra Chief Minister Pick Contentious For Both Ruling, Opposition Camps PM Modi: Culture, Cuisine, Cricket Strengthen India-Guyana Ties Elon Musk Slams Australia's Plan To Ban Social Media For Kids Under 16 Assam Chief Minister Unveils These Facilities At Legislative Complex Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.