Like Sabarimala, Top Court Should Decide On Ram Temple: Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath wants the Supreme Court to deliver its verdict in the Ram temple issue as it had done in the case of the Sabarimala temple.

Describing the Ram temple issue as a matter of faith for the people of India, Mr Adityanath said the temple in Ayodhya assumes great significance in hearts of the people.

"If the Supreme Court can give judgement in the Sabarimala case, it should also give its order in Ram temple case. I request the court to do so," Mr Adityanath said at the Ideas Conclave, organised by India Foundation.

However, he clarified that for him and the BJP, the construction of the Ram temple was not an electoral issue.

His remarks come at a time when the Visva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has demanded the centre to bring a law in the parliament for the construction of the temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

On September 27, the Supreme Court declined to refer to a larger bench its 1994 verdict for a review over its "questionable observation" that "mosque is not an essential part of the practice of Islam", paving the way for the top court to hear the politically sensitive main Ayodhya title suit from October 29.

Holding that the earlier observation was made in the limited context of "land acquisition" during the hearing of the Ayodhya case, the top court in a 2-1 verdict made it clear it will not have any bearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute whose outcome will be eagerly awaited ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

On September 28, the Supreme Court allowed the entry of women of all ages into the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala in Kerala.

The five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, in its 4:1 verdict, said that banning the entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine is gender discrimination and the practice violates rights of Hindu women.