Babri dispute must be resolved through talks: Yogi after Ram Temple visit

He commented after offering prayers at the makeshift Ram temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who on Wednesday offered prayers at the makeshift Ram temple in Ayodhya, said the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute should be resolved through bilateral talks.

He was addressing a public meeting called at the birthday celebrations of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, president of the Ram Janambhoomi Nyas Trust, an organisation formed to promote the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site.

"This problem must be sorted out through bilateral talks between both the communities," Adityanath said.

His comments seemed in line with the advice of Supreme Court, which had suggested a negotiated settlement of the dispute.

Significantly, Das, at whose birthday celebrations the Chief Minister was speaking, was one of the 12 persons including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veterans L K Advani, M M Joshi and Union minister Uma Bharti against whom a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court had on Tuesday framed charges in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

Earlier on Wednesday, Adityanath offered prayers at the makeshift Ram temple in Ayodhya. He spent around 30 minutes there.

This was Adityanath's first visit to Ayodhya after he took over as Uttar Pradesh chief minister.

He reached Faizabad on Wednesday morning and visited the famous Hanuman Garhi temple.

He was accompanied by Dharam Das, another person against whom conspiracy charges were framed on Tuesday.

Adityanath also offered prayers on the banks of the Saryu river, Ayodhya.

On Tuesday, a special CBI court in Lucknow had framed charges against BJP veterans L K Advani, M M Joshi, Union minister Uma Bharti and nine others in the 1992 Babri mosque demolition case. The Supreme Court had ordered restoration of the conspiracy charge against them on April 19.

Adityanath had yesterday gone to the VVIP guest house in Lucknow to meet Advani, who had come to appear before the court.

In Faizabad today, Adityanath also held a meeting with the BJP MLAs, MPs and senior officials of the Faizabad area and reviewed the law and order situation as well as development issues.

He also inaugurated a Passport Sewa Kendra at the head post office in Faizabad.