‘Only court will decide Ayodhya issue’

NEW DELHI: Ayodhya issue cannot be resolved by bringing a legislation and would be decided only by court, All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Sunday said after Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and some BJP leaders demanded that the government step in to build Ram temple.

“It has been said that a legislation should be brought in Parliament to build a Ram temple but it is not possible because the matter is before the apex court. The matter will not be resolved through legislative means but by the court,” Board’s spokesman Abdul Rahim Qureshi said.

The apex Muslim body stressed that the matter was subjudice and it will accept the decision of the court.

“The matter is before the Supreme Court and whatever verdict it gives will be acceptable to us,” he said.

Raking up the Ram temple issue, BJP MP Vinay Katiyar who was the face of the Ayodhya movement of 1990s, had recently said the Modi government should “move to resolve” the matter without waiting for the Supreme Court verdict.

He said the government should address the issue either through legislation or talks, fulfilling the BJP’s promise.

Katiyar, now a Rajya Sabha member, earlier represented Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, under which Ayodhya falls. Taking a dig at Katiyar, Qureshi said the BJP leader was making such statements to gain attention after he was sidelined in government formation at the Centre.