Lucknow: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on January 20 said the dates for construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya could be announced at the 'dharam sansad' in Delhi next month.

"Only the dharam sansad was empowered to announce the temple construction dates and its three-day meeting beginning in Delhi on February 22 could announce the dates," VHP vice-president Giriraj Kishore told reporters.

He said the VHP would abide by the directions of the dharmacharyas and the decision of the 'dharam sansad'.

Reacting to the reported statement of the Centre that the VHP should move the Supreme Court to gain possession of the undisputed land at Ayodhya, Kishore said the stay order by the apex court in this regard was only for the 'shila daan' programme in March last year and was no longer in operation.

"We have nothing to do in this matter. Now the ball is in the court of the government," he said adding that only 2.77 acres of land in the complex was disputed and the rest undisputed land should be handed over to the VHP for temple construction.

VHP president Ashok Singhal had written to the Centre in this regard a few months back, Kishore said.

He alleged that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who had promised to resolve the vexed issue by February 12, 2002, "cheated us" by "retracting from his statement leaving us in lurch".

About VHP's role in the Gujarat Assembly elections, Kishore said it was a "test of hindutva in view of the stand taken by the Election Commission and the so called secularists and that was why the VHP had to take a plunge there".

Asked if VHP would make 'hindutva' a poll plank in the Assembly elections due in some states this year, he said, "The situation in Gujarat was different...The situation is not such in states like Rajasthan."

He, however, made it clear that "VHP would jump into the battle if there was a test of Hinduism".

On VHP general secretary Praveen Togadia's statement seeking Congress president Sonia Gandhi's help in Ram temple construction, Kishore said, "It would be a test of Sonia's Hinduism" but soon retracted by replying in the negative when asked whether her support would be construed as her being a Hindu by the VHP.

He termed the Congress chief's worship at the famous Ambaji temple before launching the poll campaign in Gujarat as a "drama" and said "one should ask Sonia whether she believes in Hinduism".

The VHP leader claimed even her son former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was not a Hindu.

He declined to comment on the allegations made by some saints in Ayodhya about the misuse of temple fund by the VHP.

Kishore expressed confidence that a grand Ram temple would be constructed at Ayodhya. He declined to specify the timings for construction of Kashi Vishwanath and Mathura temples saying the priority was the Ram temple.

The VHP leader said a meeting of VHP's 'margdarshan mandal' would be held on February 21.

PTI