Ram temple issue is 'election drama': Rajbhar

Om Prakash Rajbhar, a BJP ally and member of the Yogi Adityanath cabinet, Friday termed the Ram temple debate an "election drama" played every time the polls are near.

Amid a push from Hindutva groups for legislation which allows the building of a Ram temple on the disputed Ram Janmabhoombi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya, Rajbhar's remarks seemed to challenge Adityanath.

"Whenever elections are near, the issue of the Ram temple crops up, said the Syheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party chief.

"Whenever the elections are near, the issue of Ram temple crops up. When there are no elections, no one remembers Lord Ram... this is election drama, Rajbhar told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.

He questioned if anyone could construct a temple at the disputed site when the matters is before the Supreme Court.

"Either both the parties sit together to resolve the issue or wait for the court verdict, he said.

All this is being done only to tell people not to lose patience," he said, apparently referring to the recent statements by Hindutva politicians.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath recently said he would prefer early hearings in the Aydhya land dispute case before the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court had eaarlier said it would it would decide in January on the course of hearings in the case.

Rajbhar said the issue is being used since 1980 and Hindus are being befooled.

"Today, education and employment are the more important issues," he said, asking people to focus on them.

He alleged if a CBI probe is ordered, 95 per cent seers of Ayodhya will go to jail.