‘Sants to decide on Ayodhya if Govt fails’

With a day left for the Dharm Sansad to get underway here, VHP working president Ashok Singhal declared today said that the sants may take a ‘‘strong’’ decision if the Centre fails to return the undisputed land at Ayodhya to the Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas. Singhal told The Indian Express: ‘‘We will wait till tomorrow. Thereafter, the sants at the Dharm Sansad may take a strong decision.’’

Earlier, he told journalists on the sidelines of a function organised to launch the year-long 125th birth anniversary celebrations of The Mother of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, that ‘‘if Muslims have to live in harmony with Hindus, then they too

should help us in construction of the Ram temple.’’

He reminded the gathering that the political leadership of the country should have resolved the issue, but now the Dharam Sansad would do it. “A reunification of India (Akhand Bharat) is a pragmatic solution to many problems. Once this task is achieved, India would become a super-power,” he added.

Later, Union HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, when asked about the threat of a strong action by the VHP, said: ‘‘We will wait for the court verdict tomorrow.’’