Ayodhya priests lash out at Nepali PM Oli's claims, say Lord Rama belongs to Ayodhya of Saryu river

Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 14 (ANI): After K P Sharma Oli claimed that the birthplace of Lord Rama, is in Nepal and that Lord Rama was Nepali, priests in Ayodhya lashed out at Nepal's Prime Minister, who they said had made the statements under pressure from China.
"Lord Rama was born here. He was born here in Ayodhya near Sarayu river. It is a popular belief that he belongs to Ayodhya. It is true that Sita Ji (Lord Rama's wife) was from Nepal, but to claim that Lord Rama was Nepali is wrong. I condemn Oli's statement," Mahant Dinendra Das, Ram Temple Trust member told ANI.
Kalki Ram Das Maharaj, president, Rama Dal Trust said that Oli was working on behalf of Nepal and Pakistan.
"I condemn his comment. They used to be a Hindu Rashtra but now they are working on the behalf of China and Pakistan" he said.
"There is a line in our religious books, "Jiske Uttar Disha me Saryu pravahit hoti hai, vo Ayodhya hai'" (The place from where Saryu river flows in the east is Ayodhya) and there is no Saryu river in Nepal, how can he claim that Ram belongs to Nepal. I am challenging him that he will be dethroned in one month," he added.
Meanwhile, another priest Mahant Paramhansh Acharya said, "Oli is not Nepali, he is not aware of his country's history. He is betraying Nepal. China had captured over two dozen Nepali villages and to conceal that he is using Lord Rama's name."
"Lord Rama belongs to the whole universe. He was born here in Ayodhya. Oli is betraying his people and people of Nepal should protest against him otherwise they have to face the ill fate. It does not make a difference whatever he said. Oli is insane," Acharya added.
Nepal's prime minister, at an event organised at Prime Minister's residence in Kathmandu on Monday claimed that Lord Rama was not an Indian and blamed India of cultural encroachment by "creating a fake Ayodhya."
Oli's contentious claims come as the relations between the New Delhi and Kathmandu has worsened lately.
Tensions between the two-nation rose after Kathmandu issued a new map incorporating some portions of Indian territories in May.
New Delhi has said that the updated map is "not based on historical facts and evidence" and termed the claims by Nepal as artificial enlargement. (ANI)