It is my conviction that Ram temple will be built at Ayodhya:

Union minister Uma Bharati asserted today that it was her "astha" (conviction) that a Ram temple would be constructed at Ayodhya.

She also held that the custom of 'triple talaq' was "about society, not faith" and hence subject to reform.

"While we were agitating over the Ram Janmabhoomi issue, the Congress and the Left were heaping scorn on us and the Samajwadi Party, which was in power in Uttar Pradesh, was ordering the police to spray bullets on us.

"But the high court order of 2010 upheld what we had been saying - that the land where the sanctum sanctorum was situated belonged to Ram Lala," Bharati, who was in the forefront of the Ayodhya movement which culminated in the pulling down of the Babri mosque on December 6, 1992, told reporters.
 

"Whatever dispute there is, it is related to the ownership of land. The high court has already given its opinion. I would not like to comment more since the matter is now under consideration at the Supreme Court.

"But it is my 'astha' that a temple will be constructed at the spot where we have believe Ram Lala to have been born," the firebrand BJP leader said.

Replying to a query about the 'triple talaq' issue, wherein the government's intervention is being resented by a section of the minorities, Bharti said, "Muslim society holds that a marriage is a contract. The man and the woman have equal rights with regard to its annulment."

"Moreover, marriage and divorce are about society, not about faith or belief. Rules regarding these could, therefore, be reformed whenever need for the same is felt", she said.

The Union minister was in the city to take part in "Digi Dhan Mela" - an initiative aimed at educating people about digital transactions.

Besides Bharti, Minister of State for HRD Mahendra Nath Pandey and MoS for Family and Social Welfare Anupriya Patel were also present on the occasion.

Bharti, who holds Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation portfolio, also said, "A total amount of Rs 8,500 crore will be released by the Centre for cleaning of the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand."

"I met UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath earlier in the day in Lucknow. I told him that Rs 3,000 crore were earmarked for the older schemes and another Rs 4,000 crore for the new ones. I have requested him to review all of these. The older schemes have to carry on as before but he may set priorities for the new ones," she said.