VHP reiterates demand for law to construct Ram temple

New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday reiterated its demand for the enactment of a law to facilitate the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.

VHP Working President Pravin Togadia said he was sure Prime Minister Narendra Modi and new Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Aditya Nath Yogi would bring in the required legislation to build the temple.

The new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was installed in Uttar Pradesh on March 19, after the party won a landslide victory in the assembly elections. It got 312 seats in the 403-member assembly.

"The BJP had passed a resolution on the temple construction in its 1987 meeting in Palampur in Himachal. I believe that PM Modi will fulfil the wishes of those who made efforts for the temple construction by bringing in a law in Parliament. He is a man of his word," Togadia said.

He was quick to add that he did not try to remind Modi about the issue but "just expressing my views".

The matter of the land title is at present pending in the Supreme Court, where the Allahabad High Court order in the case has been challenged.

Togadia skipped the question about the Supreme Court's recent suggestion for out-of-the-court settlement saying: "I have nothing to say on it. Whatever I wanted to say, I have said that."

Togadia said Hindutva was not against development and both can go hand-in-hand.

He said various programmes would be held at 5,000 talukas and blocks across the country from March 28 as part of 'Ram Navami' celebrations this year.

The VHP would also hold a religious march in Delhi on April 2, during which people will be administered an oath regarding the Ram temple construction at five locations -- Daryaganj, Gauri Shankar Mandir, Townhall, Prem Dhaba (Filmistan).

Togadia further said that VHP has organised a grand meeting of saints in Haridwar in May this year to discuss the Ram Mandir issue.