Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said on Wednesday the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute should be resolved through dialogue and his government will support such a step.
The 44-year-old priest-politician visited and prayed at the makeshift Ram temple in Ayodhya, the first chief minister do so in 15 years.
“We will try for an amicable solution to the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi dispute, within the ambit of law. The dispute should be resolved by dialogue between the two communities,” he said at a gathering of seers to mark the 79th birthday of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das.
“The state government will provide all support in the dialogue process,” he said amid cheers, applauds and slogans of “Jai Shri Ram”.
The temporary temple is located within a 2.7-acre disputed plot, where the Mughal-era Babri Masjid stood before it was demolished by thousands of “kar sevaks” or supporters of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on December 6, 1992.
Many Hindus believe the mosque was built on top of the birthplace of god Ram.
The demolition triggered riots across the country, killing more than 3,000 people, and the site remains India’s most potent religious flashpoint.
{{/usCountry}}The demolition triggered riots across the country, killing more than 3,000 people, and the site remains India’s most potent religious flashpoint.
{{/usCountry}}Adityanath push for a discussion to solve the feud is significant since the BJP is committed to building the Ram temple, which has been pivotal to the party’s politics.
“I know what you want to hear. I am aware of your sentiments,” he said after beginning his speech with the “Jai Shri Ram” chant and repeating it thrice.
“Even the Supreme Court has suggested an out-of-court settlement. The state government will provide all support in this process,” he said.
In September 2010, the Allahabad high court awarded two-thirds of the site to Hindu parties, one-third to the Waqf Board of the Muslims. But the Supreme Court stayed the verdict the next year.
This March, the top court suggested the dispute could be settled amicably through “cordial meeting” between groups associated with the case. Chief Justice JS Khehar offered to mediate, if required.
The chief minister said several Muslim organisations in Lucknow are in favour of a Ram temple.
His visit to Ayodhya follows a special CBI court order on Tuesday to frame criminal conspiracy charges against BJP stalwarts LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, Union water minister Uma Bharti and nine more leaders in connection with the demolition.
Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, a VHP leader who headed the Ram Janambhoomi Nyas Trust, is among the 12 people charged with conspiracy.
Adityanath reached Faizabad, the twin city of Ayodhya, in the morning and prayed at the Hanumangarhi Temple. He was accompanied by Dharam Das, another leader against whom conspiracy charges were framed.
(With agency inputs)