<p>Samajwadi Party (SP) member of Rajya Sabha Munavvar Salim found himself in the middle of a controversy by declaring his support for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. <br /><br />Salim, who is also the party in-charge of Aligarh division, on Tuesday said Ram temple should be built at Ayodhya. <br /><br />“No one can stop the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya,” he told scribes at Etah, 300 kilometres from capital Lucknow. <br /><br />“Where will the Ram temple be built if not in India?” he asked, adding that there are several temples for Lord Ram in a Muslim country like Malaysia. <br /><br />Asserting that the SP is not against building Ram temple in Ayodhya, Salim said: “In fact, it was the SP that adopted the principles of Rama and Krishna...socialist ideologue Ram Manohar Lohia had incorporated them in his principles.”<br /><br />While Muslim leaders and those from SP reacted strongly to Salim’s remarks, he won praise from Hindu leaders in Ayodhya. <br /><br />Some supporters<br />However, Ram Janambhoomi Trust chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das supported the remarks. <br />“We welcome his remarks...everyone should support Ram temple construction,” the Mahant added. <br /><br />He said both the Hindus and Muslims should work together to ensure Ram temple is constructed in Ayodhya. </p>.<p>Expressing surprise over the remarks, SP leaders said Salim should not have commented on the issue. “The matter is currently pending in the Supreme Court...we should wait for its judgement,” a senior party leader said here.</p>
<p>Samajwadi Party (SP) member of Rajya Sabha Munavvar Salim found himself in the middle of a controversy by declaring his support for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. <br /><br />Salim, who is also the party in-charge of Aligarh division, on Tuesday said Ram temple should be built at Ayodhya. <br /><br />“No one can stop the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya,” he told scribes at Etah, 300 kilometres from capital Lucknow. <br /><br />“Where will the Ram temple be built if not in India?” he asked, adding that there are several temples for Lord Ram in a Muslim country like Malaysia. <br /><br />Asserting that the SP is not against building Ram temple in Ayodhya, Salim said: “In fact, it was the SP that adopted the principles of Rama and Krishna...socialist ideologue Ram Manohar Lohia had incorporated them in his principles.”<br /><br />While Muslim leaders and those from SP reacted strongly to Salim’s remarks, he won praise from Hindu leaders in Ayodhya. <br /><br />Some supporters<br />However, Ram Janambhoomi Trust chairman Mahant Nritya Gopal Das supported the remarks. <br />“We welcome his remarks...everyone should support Ram temple construction,” the Mahant added. <br /><br />He said both the Hindus and Muslims should work together to ensure Ram temple is constructed in Ayodhya. </p>.<p>Expressing surprise over the remarks, SP leaders said Salim should not have commented on the issue. “The matter is currently pending in the Supreme Court...we should wait for its judgement,” a senior party leader said here.</p>
