New Delhi: Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parliamentarian Ram Vilas Vedanti on Thursday rejected Hindu religious leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s offer to mediate in the Ayodhya dispute adding that he had intervened to avoid being probed for huge wealth amassed by him.

“Who is Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to mediate? He should continue to run his non-governmental organisation (NGO) Art of Living (AOL) and hoard foreign funds. I believe he has amassed a lot of wealth and to avoid a probe he has jumped into Ram temple issue,” Vedanti told media.

The BJP leader said Ravi Shankar did not qualify to mediate on the matter as he had never been associated with the Ram temple movement.

“How can someone who has never been associated with the movement mediate on the matter of temple construction. We have gone to jail for it, faced house arrest and have been fighting court cases. Sri Sri does not qualify to mediate on the matter,” Vedanti said.

He said Hindu hardline outfits Ram Janmbhoomi Nyas and Vishva Hindu Parishad were the only two organisations which should get an opportunity to hold a dialogue as they spearheaded the temple movement.

Vedanti also appealed to Muslim religious leaders to come forward and offer a solution to the dispute.

“We want Muslim religious leaders to come forward. We will sit together and discuss the issue. We want Hindus and Muslims together to find a solution to the dispute and that temple is constructed on the basis of mutual agreement,” Vedanti said.

Meanwhile, Ravi Shankar met Uttar Pradesh (UP) Chief Minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath in state capital Lucknow on Thursday.

“I want unity. I want amity. This is just a beginning. We will talk to all,” Ravi Shankar said ahead of the meeting.

Following the meeting, the UP CM said that talks were the only way out to find a solution to the dispute.

“Since the government is not party to the case, I had already told the stakeholders that if they can come to a final decision on the matter through dialogue, then the government is committed to fully back it. But if they can’t come to such a decision, then it is in the court and we will obey whatever is the court’s decision,” Adityanath said.

He stated that he would provide all necessary support to stakeholders involved in talks.

Earlier on Monday, UP Shia Central Waqf Board and Hindu hardline outfit Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad claimed that they had worked out a mutually agreeable out-of-court settlement to the issue and would submit it to the Supreme Court soon.