The Ayodhya Ram Temple issue has received fresh life ahead of the general elections.
Highlights
- "Ram Mandir will be constructed, it is our determination", he said
- Ram Temple issue has received fresh life ahead of the general elections
- A decision on the matter is pending in the Supreme Court.
A minister in Yogi Adityanath's government has claimed that the Ram temple the BJP promised in Ayodhya will be built, "since the Supreme Court is ours". Mukut Bihari Verma, the cooperative minister in Uttar Pradesh is the second minister to talk of pushing through the construction of a Ram temple, when a decision on the matter in pending in the Supreme Court.
A special bench of the court is hearing 14 appeals filed against a judgment delivered in 2010 by the Allahabad High Court, which ordered that the land in Ayodhya where the Babri Masjid stood, be divided equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
"The BJP has come to power on the issue of development but Ram Mandir will be constructed as it is our determination. The matter is in Supreme Court and the Supreme court is ours. The judiciary, administration, the nation as well as the Ram Temple belong to us," Mr Verma has told reporters.
In June, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya hinted that the BJP could consider legislation to jump start the construction of the Ram Temple "if other options take time".
"I feel there should not be too much delay in the judgment, or it can be resolved through dialogue or the third option is to pass a law in parliament -- that option is open too," Mr Maurya had told reporters.
The Ram Temple issue, through pushed to the back of the BJP manifesto, has received fresh life ahead of the general elections. Various political and religious leaders have mentioned the matter.
In June, a top religious leader, Ram Vilas Vedanti, while sharing stage with Yogi Adityanath, said the Ram temple will be built in Ayodhya ahead of next year's general elections.
A day later, the Chief minister said, "When Lord Ram showers his blessings on Ayodhya, the Ram mandir will definitely be built and there should be no doubt about it. At least there shouldn't be any doubt among saints".