Not a single individual belonging to the upper caste helped Lord Ram when he was banished from Ayodhya, as well as in his battle against Ravana for the return of Sita, Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik has said in his first official speech in Panaji, adding that only tribals, a divasis and lower caste people supported Lord Ram during his banishment.

"There are discussions across the country about building a grand temple in Ayodhya. A grand Ram temple will be built. Everyday,I listen to speeches of highly ranked mahants and saints. When they speak about their vision of the temple, they only speak about Ram lalla's statue and the Ram durbar," Governor Malik said in his speech at the second Adivasi Students' Conference held in Ponda town in South Goa district on Thursday,located 35 km from Panaji.

This was his first public speech since he took charge as Goa Governor on November 3.

"No one speaks about an idol of Kewat and Shabari. WhenRam's spouse, Mother Sita was kidnapped, Ram's brother was the king of Ayodhya.Not a single soldier, not one person came from Ayodhya came to his (Ram) aid.When he (Ram) walked all the way to Sri Lanka, all along the way there wereonly adivasis, tribals, only people from lower castes. Can anyone tell mewhether anyone from higher caste fought along with him?" he said.

The ex-Governor of the now former state of Jammu andKashmir, also said that when a trust body would be constituted to plan theconstruction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, he would lobby for the installation ofidols of Shabari, Kewat in the durbar hall of the temple, alongside the grandidol of Lord Ram.

Kewat refers to a boatman in Ramayana, who helped Ram, Sitaand Laxman cross the Ganges river, while Shabari was a old tribal woman who wasa devotee of Ram, according to sage Valmiki's epic.

"The day a temple trust is formed, I will write anofficial letter, saying that while the temple should have Ram's idol below, butin the Ram durbar above, all characters who helped Ramchandra-ji should bedepicted... The tribals were responsible for making him Maryada Purshottam. Itis because of your strength," Governor Malik told the congregation oftribal students at the function organised by the Directorate of Tribal Welfare.