india

Updated: Apr 29, 2019 09:38 IST

Congress’s Lucknow candidate Acharya Pramod Krishnam on Sunday attacked the BJP on the Ram temple issue and said he would initiate negotiations for the temple construction once the elections were over.

“A matter of faith cannot be resolved by courts. Negotiations can sort them out. I will initiate negotiations on the issue after the elections. The country’s unity and integrity can’t be compromised for such issues. It (the solution) should be amicable,” said Krishnam, himself a seer, at a press conference at the Congress state headquarters here.

Krishnam had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Sambhal in west UP on the Congress ticket. He is the head of Kalki Peeth in Sambhal.

Attacking the BJP on the Ayodhya issue, he said: “The BJP promised Ram temple construction and resorted to propaganda on it. The party even sought support from people, but did nothing. The previous BJP government at the centre had said that it did not have a majority and will make the temple once they form a majority government. Now, they had a majority government both at the centre and the state, but they did not do it (build the temple). Lakhs of people want to see Ram temple in Ayodhya.” Krishnam attacked the union home minister over “the condition of Lucknow”. “After campaigning in the city for nine days, I am shocked to see the condition of the internal crossings, streets and markets. Some areas like Raj Bhawan area or CM residence area, or Vidhan Sabha Marg are fine, but the condition of the rest of the city is deplorable.”

Krishnam said: “Lucknow doesn’t look like the constituency of the union home minister.” “I had imagined that the interiors of Lucknow must have turned very nice. Most of my previous visits to Lucknow were from the airport to some venue,” he said. “But now I understand the sewage system is the biggest problem; so is the drinking water as 60% of people are forced to drink contaminated water. Encroachments are another menace and police are aiding it; garbage management and disposal is a problem. The Congress is winning. If I win this seat, I will work to sort out all such problems and make Lucknow a better city,” he said.