Ram temple not on poll agenda: Gadkari

JAIPUR: Days after BJP chief Nitin Gadkari raised the Ram temple pitch in UP's Faizabad, he did an about-turn in Jaipur on Tuesday, saying the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya was not on party's poll agenda.

In a clear attempt to whip up religious sentiments in UP, where Assembly polls are due next year, the BJP chief had on April 27 told frenzied party activists that he wanted to house the displaced Ram Lalla deity in a magnificent temple, beyond the Panch Kosi Parikrama Marg.

But on Tuesday, Gadkari was more circumspect. " Ram Mandir is not on the BJP agenda. It's a symbol of our honour, history and culture," Gadkari said in response to a query at a press conference in Jaipur. He stressed the issue of Ram temple was above politics and was more about the country's pride.

"The Allahabad High Court judgment has already clarified about the Ram's birthplace. So we want a magnificent Ram temple to be built at Ayodhya with support from all religions," the party chief said at the conclusion of his two-day visit to Rajasthan.

The party urged the Congress-led UPA government to act tough against terrorism and not use national issues to create vote banks. The BJP chief said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should clarify his government's stand on Pakistan-supported terrorism, especially when he and home minister P Chidambaram have issued contradictory statements.

"Soon after Osama was killed, the home minister said Pakistan was a sanctuary for terrorists, while the Prime Minister said the world community should fight terrorism with the cooperation of Pakistan," the BJP chief said, demanding the Centre to clear its stand on Pak-supported terrorism.

The saffron party wanted to know if the Central government was willing to strike on the Mumbai terror accused hiding in Pakistan, just like the US has done. "The Mumbai attackers like Dawood Ibrahim are freely roaming in Pakistan. Will our government bring them to justice?" Gadkari asked.