TOI

Nagpur, Feb 7: Raking up the Ayodhya issue ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, BJP chief Rajnath Singh today declared that nobody could shake the party's faith in Lord Ram, for whom a magnificent temple will be built at Ayodhya, PTI report said.

"Jahan tak Ram Janambhoomi ka sawal hai, koi ma ka lal Bhagwan Ram me hamari aastha aur nishta ko diga nahi sakta (No one can shake BJP's faith and reverence to Lord Ram)," he said in his inaugural speech at the two-day National Council meeting that began today.

Rajnath's statement led to chants of "Jai Shri Ram" from several of the assembled gathering consisting of thousands of party leaders and workers.

The BJP had kept its pet issues like Ayodhya, Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and Uniform Civil Code on a backburner when it came to power in 1998 and tied up a coalition.

He lamented that during the last five years the Congress-led coalition at the Centre had failed to spare "even five minutes" for initiating dialogue to resolve the Ram Janambhoomi issue.

He said if the party comes to power it would work towards an effective solution of the vexed issue and could even set up a fast-track court and could take other measures after taking allies into confidence.

"The day BJP will get a clear majority we will, if necessary, bring a law on the issue," he said.

'A political sham'

However, the Congress has reacted to Rajnath's statement by terming it as a 'political sham'.

"BJP does not intend to build it, they are fooling the people," AICC general secretary in Charge of Media Cell, Tom Vadakkan, said.

"They never built the temple when they were in power," he added.