I have not Deviated from Congress Stand on Ram Temple, Says Kamal Nath

Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath on Friday said he has just toed his party's line on the Ram temple issue and called himself a "devout Hindu" who has respect for all other faiths.

Nath was reacting to a Congress MP from Kerala writing to party president Sonia Gandhi against senior leaders

extending support to the construction of the temple in Ayodhya for which 'bhoomi pujan' was performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 5.

T N Prathapan, the party's Lok Sabha MP from Thrissur, in the letter to Gandhi, had questioned the support senior

Congress leaders Nath and Digvijaya Singh extended to the construction of the temple, saying it is like "bowing low for temporary successes".

An unfazed Nath said he has not deviated from the long-held party stand on the Ayodhya issue.

"I have stuck to the stand taken by the first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru ji and former PM Rajiv Gandhi on Ram

temple. Nothing more shouldbe read into it (recent statements on the issue)," he said at his residence when asked about Prathapan's letter.

Rajiv ji got it (locks of Ram temple at Ayodhya) opened. We were against the demolition of the Babri mosque. The Congress stand was clear that we will abide by the courts decision on it. That is it, the former chief minister said.

"I had got the biggest Hanuman Temple built in Chhindwara (his home district). I am a devout Hindu who has immense respect for all other faiths," he said.

Has the BJP patented Hinduism. Have they taken agency for religion and Lord Ram? the former Union minister asked.

Nath had hosted 'Hanuman Chalisa' at his house here on the eve of the August 5 ground-breaking ceremony for the new

Ram temple in Ayodhya.

He had also announced to send 11 silver bricks for the Ram temple construction.