Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Chairman of ruling Nepal Communist Party's rival faction, has challenged caretaker Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to prove the existence of ancient Ayodhya in Thori, Chitwan.
While addressing thousands of his supporters and cadres amid a show-of-power on Wednesday, Dahal took a jibe on Oli over his false and perplexing claim about the birthplace of Lord Ram.
"I have a challenge for KP Oli. If he really wants to establish a Ram Temple and Ayodhya in Madi of Chitwan, which is my constituency district, then first of all he should order archeological excavation to prove his claim. If proven, I would be the happiest person. If a religious-tourism site is built in my constituency then why wouldn't I be happy with it? It will improve the status of people living in and around after the establishment of Ram Mandir and Ayodhya," Dahal said over Oli's claim.
On July 13 last year, now caretaker Prime Minister Oli claimed that ancient Ayodhya lies in Nepal and also ordered to build a Ram Temple to grace the birth of Lord Ram. Earlier, he had blamed India for cultural encroachment by 'creating a fake Ayodhya'.
"Balmiki Ashram is in Nepal and the holy place where King Dasharath had executed the rites to get the son is in Ridi. King Dasharath's son Lord Ram was not an Indian and Ayodhya is also in Nepal," Oli said earlier last year.
Defending himself of further criticism, Oli raised the question about how Ram could come to Janakpur to marry Sita at the time when there was no means of transport. He also claimed it to be impossible for Ram to come to Janakpur from the present Ayodhya in India.
"Janakpur lies here and Ayodhya there and there is talk of marriage, there was no telephone nor mobile then how could the place be known. It could have been nearer so he came but that history is beyond discussion," he said.
Following his claims, members of his party criticised Oli for making such remarks. The Foreign Ministry also had to issue a release clarifying on the issue.
Recently, an idol of Ram and Sita were sent by Oli to establish it in the temple that is planned in Thori of Nepal. Last week, Oli took a jibe at Dahal over his silence on the issue of Ram Temple Construction while addressing pro-government supporters and Oli faction cadres.
( With inputs from ANI )
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