Ayodhya dispute should be resolved promptly: Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Tuesday said the long-pending Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute should be resolved "promptly" for the sake of peace and brotherhood, a day after the Supreme Court made clear that it will not be heard before January.

"For resolving the case promptly, it would have been better if a quick hearing of the matter was held by the court for the sake of peace and brotherhood in the country," the chief minister said.

"This possibility, however, does not seem likely as of now," he said to a query on the sidelines of an event here.

He said the matter is in the apex court but for peace and brotherhood and for honouring the beliefs of a large number of people, all alternatives need to be explored.

"The counsel for the Uttar Pradesh government had also appealed to the Supreme Court for a speedy trial in the matter," he said.

The apex court Monday said the course of hearings in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute will be decided in the first week of January by an appropriate bench.

This has intensified demands by RSS and its affiliated organisation that the government should bring a law allowing construction of a Ram temple at the disputed Ayodhya site.

As many as 14 appeals have been filed against the high court judgment that the 2.77 acres of land be partitioned equally among three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.