Union minister Uma Bharti on Tuesday pushed for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, a day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath promised that the temple would be built there. Bharti said the temple should be built “at the earliest” and that constructing a “magnificent temple” in Ayodhya is “a matter of national pride”, The Indian Express reported.

“Yogiji [Adityanath] is chief minister with absolute majority, Modiji is prime minister with absolute majority,” the report quoted her as saying. “...So many pracharaks, swayamsewaks, Ram bhakts, and all connected with the party line are waiting for the moment that we take some courageous decision and make the national resolve a reality.” Bharti, the minister for drinking water and sanitation, said this was a “great opportunity” to build the temple.

She also suggested an amendment to the Constitution that will allow the temple to be built, PTI reported. She said that building the temple should not be linked with the General Elections next year, and that it would be a legacy for generations to come.

On Tuesday, Adityanath had said “there should be no doubt” that a temple will be built in Ayodhya. However, he had added that there would be obstacles while building a temple there immediately in view of the upcoming elections.

The Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case is still pending in the Supreme Court. The top court is hearing appeals against the judgement that had allocated the land to the Sunni Waqf Board, a Hindu organisation called the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla, who is represented by the Hindu Mahasabha. The next hearing will be in July.