Adityanath prays at makeshift Ram temple in Ayodhya

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who on Wednesday offered prayers at the makeshift Ram temple here, said the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute should be resolved through bilateral talks.

He was addressing a public meeting called at the birthday celebrations of VHP leader Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, president of the Ram Janambhoomi Nyas Trust, an organisation formed to promote the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site.

"This problem must be sorted out through bilateral talks between both the communities," Adityanath said.

His comments seemed in line with the advice of Supreme Court, which had suggested a negotiated settlement of the dispute. Significantly, Das, at whose birthday celebrations the Chief Minister was speaking, was one of the 12 persons including BJP veterans L K Advani, M M Joshi and Union minister Uma Bharti against whom a CBI court had yesterday framed charges in the Babri Masjid demolition case.

Earlier today, Adityanath offered prayers at the makeshift Ram temple here. He spent around 30 minutes there.

This was Adityanath's first visit to Ayodhya after he took over as Uttar Pradesh chief minister. He reached Faizabad today morning and visited the famous Hanuman Garhi templeMpost