VHP demands law for Ayodhya land transfer

Says Centre should respect Hindu sentiments

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Sunday passed a resolution demanding that the Centre pass a law to hand over the entire 70 acres of land at Ayodhya for the construction of a Ram temple.

The resolution — adopted at the end of a three-day conclave of the VHP's board of trustees and governing council here — said: “The Centre should respect Hindu sentiments and help in the creation of a huge Ram temple.”

VHP international president Ashok Singhal later told

PTI that the parishad was lobbying the MPs of all parties.

Several non-BJP MPs — including 37 from Tamil Nadu, 20 from Kerala, 22 from Andhra Pradesh, 21 from Karnataka, 20 from Maharashtra, 14 from Gujarat and 53 from Uttar Pradesh — are also ready to support a legislation to hand over the entire land at the disputed site for the temple, Mr. Singhal added.

Some senior Congress MPs too have promised support, he said, without naming anyone.

The Supreme Court should decide the Ram mandir case at the earliest, Mr. Singhal said, adding that the resolution passed on Sunday should remind the Union government that the Somnath temple in Gujarat was similarly rebuilt when Jawaharlal Nehru was Prime Minister.