Resolve differences to settle Ayodhya dispute: Adityanath

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today welcomed the Supreme Court's suggestion of an out-of-court settlement of the Ayodhya dispute and said aggrieved parties must sit together to resolve it.

Terming the Supreme Court's observation as a solid one, Adityanath said "it is a welcome step."

"We welcome this and both sides should sit to resolve the differences and find a way out. Whatever cooperation they required from the state government, we will do that," the chief minister, a saint himself, told reporters outside the Parliament.

The construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya had also featured in the BJP's manifesto for Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Adityanath's remarks came in the backdrop of Supreme Court's today's observation that the Ayodhya temple dispute is a sensitive and sentimental issue as it asked all parties concerned to sit together for finding a solution to the controversial matter.

A bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar said that such religious issues can be solved through negotiations and suggested that the CJI was ready to take up the task of mediating to arrive at an amicable settlement.

Earlier in the day, the BJP also welcomed the apex court's observation and said all aggrieved parties should keep in mind the matter's sensitivity while discussing it.