New Delhi: As the controversy around the Gyanvapi site is raking up with multiple petitions lined up for hearing in the Supreme Court, the treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhumi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Govind Dev Giri Maharaj has – without making any references or mentioning any names in particular – said, “I can speak for myself, and therefore, I'm telling you this…we do not even desire to get other temples ‘freed’ provided we are able to reclaim the three temples in a peaceful manner", in what appeared to be a seemingly indirect reference to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the Gyanvapi and the Krishna Janmabhoomi. 

“We are willing to [forgive and] forget everything else that transpired during the course of history if the [three temples] are handed back to us in a prudent and peaceful manner”, the spiritual leader was heard saying in a video message.

"The foreign intruders had, in earlier times, destroyed around 3,500 temples in our country, and out of those thousands of temples, the remains and the very existence of these three temples [in particular] – remains at stake, to this date.. we just want to reclaim those places that were taken away in an unjustified and a rather insulting manner.. we just want to take back what is rightfully ours..", Govind Dev Giri Maharaj said.

"Everything will take place in a calm and composed manner as my country is evolving for the better with the changing times... Lord Ram now resides within each soul, and all the citizens of our country are gaining widom with each passing day", the spiritual leader further said as he made a public-wide appeal to citizens from across the nation to join in the [reclamation] movement.

Urging communities at large to not add any communal colour to the matter at hand, he stressed, "it [the Gyanvapi and Krishna Janmabhoomi matter] shouldn't be considered a Hindu-Muslim controversy".

"I am hopeful that the next steps [towards reclamation of temples] will also take place in a peaceful manner", Govind Dev Giri Maharaj said while alluding to the construction and subsequent inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.