The Bhartiya Janata Party has lost no time in claiming that the withdrawal of the Centre's affidavit, questioning Lord Ram's existence, is a 'victory' for the party.

Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi alleged that there was a deep rooted conspiracy behind such statements.

"It is a conspiracy to make Lord Ram's existence controversial and hurt the sentiments of over 80 crore Hindus living in Hindustan and abroad," he told rediff.com in New Delhi on Friday.

Naqvi said that though individuals had made such statements earlier, this was the first time that a government has attacked the religious faith of the Hindus. "The United Progressive Alliance government chose to attack the sentiments of millions by questioning the existence of Lord Ram," he said.

Meanwhile, Congress President Sonia Gandhi [Images] spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi about the controversial project on Friday. Senior Congress leaders are now awaiting the return of Union Minister for Culture Ambika Soni from her Japan [Images] tour. The Archeological Survey of India, which had submitted the controversial affidavit, falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture.

Union Minister for Law and Justice H R Bhardwaj said that the government had no intention of denying the existence of Lord Ram. "I am a Brahmin myself and a great bhakt of Lord Ram," he said