Coimbatore: Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Murli Manohar Joshi on March 16 termed as "misplaced and motivated allegation" that Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government had failed to keep its promise to provide one crore employment per year.

"This is not true," Joshi told reporters at the airport, when his attention was drawn on general grievances and allegation that the government, led by Vajpayee, who completes five years in office on March 19, had failed to provide employment as promised.

Terming it as "misplaced and motivated allegation", Joshi said that though one crore employment were not provided, the Centre had succeeded in generating 80 lakh employment annually.

When asked about the progress in "construction of Ram temple by BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)", Joshi in an angry tone said, "Do not ask impertinent question. It is not BJP or NDA which is constructing the temple, but VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) and sadhus. You can put this question to them."

When asked about the ongoing excavation at Ayodhya, an irked Joshi said, "Without knowing well on the subject, do not put such questions to me. Is it BJP which is excavating? It is being done under the court order."

On the statement made by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa that Hindi would be reintroduced as an optional subject if Centre declared Tamil as one of the official languages, he said matters relating to official languages were coming under Union Home Ministry.

PTI