Ram temple should be built at the earliest, even if legislation is required: Vijay Goel

Joining the chorus for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, Union Minister Vijay Goel said Friday it should be done at the earliest even if a legislation is required.

Goel, the Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, said a campaign, 'Ek Diya, Ram ke Naam', for the construction of the Ram temple would be launched on Saturday.

Under the campaign, BJP workers will light a lamp at their homes dedicated to Lord Ram. Goel appealed to people to light a lamp dedicated to Lord Ram this Diwali, the festival of lights.

"It is a wish of crores of people that Ram temple should be constructed. The temple should be built at the earliest through any way, be it constitutional or legislation or court or through dialogue between all the parties. The temple should be constructed," Goel told PTI.

Goel's demand for early construction of the Ram temple came just a day after his party MP Rakesh Sinha had announced that he would bring a private member's bill on this issue in Parliament's upcoming winter session.

Goel said if the opposition feels it is a political issue, they should end it by allowing the construction of the Ram temple.

Goel is perhaps the first Union Minister to suggest legislative route for the construction of the temple.

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court had fixed the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case for the first week of January 2019 before an appropriate bench, which would decide the schedule of hearing.

Following which, the Visva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have demanded an ordinance to acquire land for the temple in Ayodhya.

Earlier on Friday, the RSS, the ideological mentor of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said Hindus were "insulted" by the apex court's observation that Ram temple is not a priority.