Yogi Adityanath supports SC's observation on Ayodhya dispute, says UP govt ready to help if needed

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New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday offered his government's help to resolve the contentious Ram temple issue and called for both sides to re-establish dialogue to settle the lingering dispute.

A strong votary of building a Ram temple on the disputed site in Ayodhya before he took over as chief minister, the hardline Hindutva leader, however, was circumspect in his comments on the issue in an interview to the RSS-affiliated weekly 'Organiser'.

He supported the Supreme Court's recent observations on an out-of-court settlement of the dispute and said that both the sides should re-establish dialogue and resolve the matter.

"As the government is not party to it, so the two parties in contention should have a dialogue and resolve the matter. If any help of the state government is needed, we are ready to provide that," the Chief Minister said.

Last month, the Supreme Court had said that Ayodhya dispute was a "sensitive and sentimental" issue and suggested that it should be resolved amicably through dialogue between the parties.

Replying to questions about his government's action against illegal slaughter houses, Adityananth asserted no legally-run abattoir operator would be harassed.

He, however, added nobody can be allowed to play with the health of the people of the state.

Defending his government's action, he said, steps taken against slaughter houses were in line with the observations of National Green Tribunal in 2015 and the Supreme Court in 2017.

Adityanath said vegetarian food is actually good for health but people can have their own tastes on which restrictions cannot be imposed.