Rajnath Singh refuses to comment on fresh controversy over Ram temple

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Rajnath Singh on Saturday avoided commenting on his party's Uttar Pradesh in-charge Amit Shah's assertions of building a Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying he had not heard his statement.

"If I had I heard what he said then I would have surely commented on it," he told the media after his meeting with the top Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders here.

Rajnath Singh had earlier in February this year stated that the party is committed to construct the Ram temple in Ayodhya, but will wait till the Supreme Court decision, as the matter is sub-judice before the court.

The BJP President expressed hope that the apex court will deliver a favourable verdict.

"The BJP has the firm opinion that the Ram Temple should be constructed on the Ram Janma Bhoomi, but at present the matter is sub-judice before the Supreme Court and we should wait for its decision," Rajnath Singh said.

"I think there should not be any problem with the ally partners, because we had inducted the temple issue in our election manifesto in 2009 elections, despite having alliance with so many parties," he added, when asked about whether the ally partners will be convinced with the ideas of raising issues of Hindutva and building temple ahead of general election 2014.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's aide Amit Shah earlier in the day said that a grand temple of Lord Ram would be built in Ayodhya soon.

Shah, who visited the Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, said that he had come to offer his prayers to Lord Ram.

"It is a center of faith for crores of Hindus. I have prayed that there should be good governance in the country and making it free of the Congress. I have also prayed that we should all, together, build a grand temple for Lord Ram here as soon as possible," he told the media here.

The construction of Ram temple at the dispute site in Ayodhya has been in BJP's top agenda, but it was put on the back burner after formation of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).