Lucknow, Sep 15 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national vice-president Vinay Katiyar Wednesday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to make attempts to resolve the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute through talks outside the court.

"The central government can file an affidavit in the court or take a suitable legal step for solving such a long-pending dispute which has religious sentiments attached to it," Katiyar told reporters here at a press conference.

Hailing the Allahabad High Court's move inviting counsel of the two parties to appear before it Sep 17 to try and reach a solution through mediation, Katiyar said: "We really appreciate the court's move related to the amicable settlement of the issue and want the central government should now come forward and intervene into the matter so that the issue could be solved through talks and discussions outside the court."

The Lucknow bench of the high court Monday called upon the rival parties to explore the possibility of a last-minute amicable settlement of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, on an application moved by a senior advocate.

Katiyar said: "Once the exercise starts, the court itself may also monitor the proceedings related to solving of the issue through discussions. I personally feel that matters related to religion, sentiments and beliefs should be settled outside the court."

The BJP leader said it was not only his desire but also that of lakhs of devotees of Lord Ram across the globe that a "grand temple should be constructed in Ayodhya".

"We would respect the court's judgment... The party in whose favour the judgment would come would sit quiet, while the other would move to the Supreme Court," he said.

A three-judge special bench of the high court is to pronounce the verdict in the case Sep 24.