A Cabinet Minister in the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has courted controversy by claiming on camera that a Ram temple would be constructed in Ayodhya as the “Supreme Court is ours.”

Interacting with journalists at Bahraich on Saturday, Mukut Bihari Verma expressed confidence that the temple would be built at the disputed site as the judiciary, as well as the executive and the legislature, was “ours.” But the MLA from Kaiserganj, who holds the cooperative portfolio in the Yogi Adityanath government, did not specify what he meant by “ours.”

He made the remarks when asked by journalists about the BJP’s long-standing promise of building a Ram temple. While the “BJP came [to power] on the issue of development, the Ram Mandir is its revered goal.”

“The temple will be constructed. We are deeply committed to building the temple,” he said.

When reporters pushed him to explain how the BJP had resolved to construct the temple as the matter was sub judice in the apex court, Mr. Verma responded with the controversial remarks.

“Supreme court mein hai, tabhi toh. Supreme Court bhi toh hamara hai na. Nyaypalika bhi. Karya palika bhi hamari hai, vidhan palika bhi. Desh bhi hamara hai, mandir bhi hamara hai (The matter is in the Supreme Court, that’s why. The SC is ours, the judiciary is ours...the executive is also ours, and the legislature is also ours. The country is ours, the temple is also ours,” Mr. Verma said.

He was not available for clarification.