NEW DELHI, Jan 27: Fundamentalist Hindu leaders on Sunday met Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to demand that the government hand over a disputed piece of land in Ayodhya where they had demolished a mosque in 1992, to build a temple.

The fundamentalist Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council) ruled out putting off the date of construction of the temple to Hindu god Rama, at the site in Ayodhya town where the 16th century Babri Mosque was demolished on Dec 6, 1992.

Hindu groups claim that the mosque was located at the site where Rama was born. The demolition triggered riots all over India in which hundreds of people were killed.

VHP General Secretary Praveenbhai Togadia said there was no question of putting off the date of construction of the temple which was scheduled to begin on March 12.

VHP and other organizations have organized a march from Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh to New Delhi, to pressure the government to accept its demands.—dpa

Opinion

Editorial

Doctor attacked
09 Jun, 2026

Doctor attacked

AN act of reprehensible violence has shaken the medical community. On Saturday, an employee of the Provincial Civil...
AJK flare-up
Updated 09 Jun, 2026

AJK flare-up

The situation started deteriorating after a trader affiliated with the JAAC was reportedly shot in an altercation with law-enforcers.
Fault lines
09 Jun, 2026

Fault lines

THE April 8 ceasefire that halted hostilities between Israel and Iran has encountered its most serious test yet....
Soft on traders
08 Jun, 2026

Soft on traders

THE Fixed Tax Asaan Scheme for traders with an annual turnover of up to Rs200m has been designed as a ‘pragmatic...
Ceasefire in name
Updated 08 Jun, 2026

Ceasefire in name

Both sides accuse the other of violating the truce that was supposed to halt the conflict in April, yet neither appears willing to abandon negotiations altogether.
Damaged childhoods
08 Jun, 2026

Damaged childhoods

CHILD abuse is so prevalent that the UN ranked Pakistan as the least safe country for children. Even so, more than...