Ayodhya: Thousands of devotees thronged the temple town of Ayodhya Sunday to attend VHP’s marathon ‘Dharam Sabha’ to discuss construction of a Ram Temple there, with a senior religious leader asserting the dates for the same would be announced early next year.
Addressing the sabha after the inauguration marked by chanting of mantras at the Badey Bhaktmaal ki Bagia, seer Ramji Das of Nirmohi Akhara said, “The date for construction of the Ram temple will be declared in the 2019 Kumbh which will be held in Prayagraj”.
The venue wore a festive look with placards, saffron flags and buntings carried by enthusiastic Ram devotees seen all over.
While bhajans of Ram played at different places along the route, the involvement of some Muslims led by member of Ayodhya Zila Panchayat , Babloo Khan who has been linked to the movement for the three years, emphasised the composite culture of the town.
“I have been associated with the Ram temple movement for three years, and I feel even the Muslims of Ayodhya want a Ram temple should be built,” Khan told reporters.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad claimed over 3 lakh people attended the congregation here to discuss the way forward for building the temple.
Senior VHP leader Champat Rai declared that no formula dividing the disputed land will be acceptable for temple construction at Ayodhya.
“We want the entire land for temple construction…no formula dividing the land is acceptable,” he told the Dharam Sabha.
Though Rai did not spell out the details, his assertions are considered to be in reference to the Allahabad High court verdict dividing the land into three parts.
Nritya Gopaldas, president of the Ram Janmbhoomi Nyas said, “such a large attendance shows that how much people from different walks of life are attached to the Ram temple.
“We respect the courts. We have great hopes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. I request Adityanath to pave the way for construction of Ram temple”, he said.
The congregation which lasted for five hours saw around 50 seers from different ashrams and akhadas taking part in the religious meeting.
Saints from Haridwar, Chhattisgarh, Hrisikesh, Ujjain, Gujarat, Chitraoot, Prayagraj and Lucknow attended the congregation, said Mahant Ramdas of Nirmohi Akhada of Ayodhya.
Slogans of ‘har ghar pe bhagwa chhayegaa, ram rajya phir aayegaa’ and ‘tel lagaao dabur kaa, naam mittaao Babar kaa’ could be heard from various corners of the programme venue.
Senior religous leader Ram Bhadracharya claimed he had met a senior minister Friday with regard to construction of the temple
“On November 23, I had called a Union minister who assured that after the model code of conduct comes to an end December 11 , the Prime Minister is likely to sit with them and take such a decision so that Ram temple could be built,’’ he told the gathering.
“… Once Ram temple is built it will become a proclaimed Hindu nationa,” he added.
Large size hoardings of Mahant Avaidyanath (guru of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath), Mahant Ramchandra Das and VHP stalwart Ashok Singhal dotted the place.
Members of Ayodhya zila panchayat Babloo had installed a flower petal showering machine to welcome the devotees on the way to programme venue.
A model of the proposed Ram temple was also displayed at the venue.
Elaborate arrangements including for food and medical facilities were made on the occasion, with the Chikitsaa Prakosth (medicine cell) of the BJP setting up camp and providing medicines for the needy.
The All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM), an umbrella body of more than a dozen Muslim religious and social organisations, has written to President Ram Nath Kovind, seeking his intervention into the developments in Ayodhya.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said he disapproved of the Shiv Sena’s push for constructing a Ram temple here, saying the party had no role in the temple movement.
Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, who arrived here ahead of the rally, Saturday asked the Modi government to wake up from a “Kumbhakarna-like slumber” and declare the date for the temple’s construction.