Lucknow, Dec 26 (TOI): In the midst of a raging controversy over the VHP's call to restart the Ram Temple movement in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday sacked party man Om Pal Nehra for suggesting Muslims should give up their claim on a mosques and lend a helping hand in rebuilding the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Nehra, 68, was serving as advisor to the UP government's entertainment tax department and enjoyed the status of a minister of state in the UP government. He was appointed to the post only two months ago. Nehra said he was informed about his removal and about the withdrawal of all government facilities provided to him from the district magistrate's office on Friday morning.

While no official reason was cited, UP government officials confirmed Nehra's dismissal by chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.

Addressing an official function of the agriculture department in Bijnor on December 23 - the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Charan Singh, which UP government celebrated as Kisan Diwas - Nehra had said, "Where can a Ram temple be built if not at Ayodhya? Muslims should help in building a Ram temple in Ayodhya and a Krishna temple in Mathura and give up their claim on mosques there. In fact I would say that Muslims should join Kar Seva (voluntary work) for the Ram temple."

Maintaining that he had done no wrong, Nehra clarified on Friday that since all attempts to resolve the dispute over the Babri mosque-Ram temple had failed, he had suggested a "third option" - that Muslims be given land to build a mosque about 2-3 kms away from the disputed site in Ayodhya. This, he said, should be done in order to ensure that prayers at the mosque are not disturbed by the loud rituals being performed at the temple.

Last week, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad had received a new batch of stones for the construction of the temple at Karsevakpuram in Ayodhya. While the move came in for considerable criticism from the opposition parties - they alleged it was the right-wing parties' attempt to inflame communal passions - ruling party law makers had defended the arrival of stones as a routine activity that had continued for many years.

Soon after the protests by petitioners in the Babri movement, against the VHP's activities, chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had held a meeting of senior government functionaries in Lucknow to maintain a strong vigil over the goings-on in Ayodhya. He has also directed officials to ensure there is no breach of peace and law and order owing to communal concerns.