VHP rejects talks on temple issue, assures peace post Ayodhya verdict

Rejecting any scope for talks concerning the disputed site at Ayodhya, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) today said it only wanted a verdict from the court and assured that the outcome will be dealt with peacefully.

"There is no need for talks over this issue with any party. That time is over. We want the court verdict to come out as soon as possible. However, we also assure that the outcome will be handled in a peaceful manner by us," VHP president Ashok Singhal told reporters in New Delhi.

Claiming that there would be "tremendous opposition" if the outcome was not in their favour, Singhal said this opposition would be in the form of public movements, in a democratic way and without any violence.

Singh and several other sadhus from across the country met mediapersons after they passed a resolution asserting that only a Ram temple can be built at Ayodhya as it has religious and archaeological evidence of being Lord Ram's birth place. They also pressed that the temple should be erected in a 70 acre area and not just within the 130x90 disputed area.

The resolution, passed by Sant Ucchdhikari Samiti, also demanded a law passed in Parliament through political consensus on the Ram temple construction in Ayodhya.

Asked for his opinion on the issue of one of the judges of the division bench of the Allahabad high court retiring on September 30, Singhal said, "The bench has already been reconstituted 14 times. The Wakf board has outrightly said there do not want any reconciliation. We just want the verdict to be out."

To a question if the VHP would approach the Supreme Court if the Allahabad high court's verdict will go against them, Singhal replied in the affirmative.

The high court verdict on the Ayodhya title suit was stalled by the Supreme Court yesterday, with the apex court deferring it by a week following a sudden turn of events and deciding to hear the plea for postponement next Tuesday.

After sharp differences over the issue of entertaining the petition challenging the HC order refusing to postpone the judgement, a bench comprising Justice RV Raveendran and Justice HL Gokhale stayed for a week the verdict that was due to have been pronounced today by the high court's Lucknow bench.