Controversial Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sakshi Maharaj on Sunday declared the Ram temple at Ayodhya will be built under the Centre's BJP government, which has "four more years to go", drawing sharp criticism from opposition Congress party.
In a virtual rebuff to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which on Thursday harped on its commitment to construct a Ram temple at Ayodhya, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad said it was a religious issue and political leaders should stop talking about it 'to seek more votes'. "We totally disagree with it. The issue is not political and therefore they should not speak. It is a religious issue. Building a temple or mosque should not be decided by the BJP or the Congress," he said.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday claimed that work on the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya would start before this year-end.
"Our stand is very clear from the beginning. The issue of Ram temple has to be settled either through negotiations or court order. Uniform Civil code will not be imposed and there would be no talk of ending section 370," Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar told media-persons in New Delhi, commenting on BJP's promise of enacting a legislation to construct the temple at Ayodhya.
'On the one hand it will appeal to pan-Hindu sentiment and on the other opposition to it could well strengthen support for the BJP among Hindu voters.'
The construction of the Ram Temple complex in Ayodhya, including the main structure, is estimated to cost around Rs 1,100 crore and is expected to be completed in three-and-a-half years, said the treasurer of the trust overseeing the project on Monday.
"The earlier design was made in 1988, now over 30 years have passed and so the footfall will increase with time. People are also very enthusiastic about visiting the temple so we thought its size should be increased. In view of this, the height of the temple has been increased from 141-feet to 161-feet," Nikhil Sompura said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, for whom the temple town sharpened its Hindutva plank, is facing a challenge particularly from the Samajwadi Party in the ongoing state polls.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said he wants the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance to win 400 seats in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls to ensure the Congress does not bring back Article 370 in Kashmir and put a 'Babri lock' on the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The programme, however, will be held as planned, maintaining all the safety rules for coronavirus.
A standing committee of the Rajasthan Wildlife Board's has cleared a proposal to allow the mining of a special sandstone, much sought after by builders including those constructing the Ram temple in Ayodhya, from Bharatpur's Bandh Baretha sanctuary.
A notification by the MHA said a trust by the name 'Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra' has been registered with its registered office at R-20, Greater Kailash Part-1, New Delhi, 110048. The ministry also said as directed by the SC, the UP government has already issued the allotment letter of a five-acre plot to the Sunni Central Waqf Board for construction of a mosque.
The support of every Ram devotee from all over the country will be solicited for the grand temple to be built at the birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya, Rai said, adding that for this, Vishva Hindu Parishad activists will go from door to door, accompanied by venerated seers and others.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday backed the BVishwa Hindu parishad's resolution for building a Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying its construction is like establishing the 'Indian identity'.
Without naming the BJP, Joshi added, "We are not begging for it. We are expressing our emotions. The country wants 'Ram rajya'."
Taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party government, Hindu religious leaders have said that they will construct the Ram temple at the "Lord's birthplace" in Ayodhya without any political assistance if the Supreme Court gives order in their favour.
BJP leader Vinay Katiyar alleged that the issue was being delayed 'under pressure' from the Congress, which denied the charge.
On the prime minister's charge that the Congress was creating hurdles in the court's process, the Sena said, "Modi has to stop levelling allegations against the Gandhi family and the Congress. You were not given power to keep cribbing about such problems. The Congress and the Samajwadi Party were ousted because of their hurdles in the construction of Ram Temple. So, stop blaming the Congress now".
Bharti said she would 'embark on a pilgrimage to devote time for Ganga river and Lord Ram by leaving power'.
"There was a Ram temple in Ayodhya and it will exist there in the future, too, and with a grand look," he said.
The RSS also described Modi's comments as a 'positive step' towards the temple construction.
The carving work by artisans had been carried out uninterrupted since 1990 when Mulayam Singh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party was Uttar Pradesh chief minister.
He was enacting and telling stories of none other than Lord Hanuman, the figure, to date, that rules the hearts of the people of Kishkinda or present-day Hampi in the Vijayanagar district of Karnataka.
'I'm sure the central government must have been thinking over the technicalities, that how to pave the way for construction of the temple.'
Mohan Bhagwat said the temple would be constructed in the same grandeur as it existed before, using the "same stones" under the guidance of those who were the flag-bearers of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement for the last 25 years.
The newly appointed Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party president Surya Pratap Shahi visited the disputed site in Ayodhya on Friday and vowed to construct a Ram temple there, saying it was something related to the faith of crores of Hindus.
Azam Khan, the president of the group said that they want to help the construction of the temple.
Instead of adversely affecting the interests of minorities, the Tamil Nadu CM said, a UCC would ensure all citizens are treated equally.
Mahant Kamal Nayan Das, the spokesperson of Trust's president Nritya Gopal Das said, "We have suggested two auspicious dates -- August 3 and 5 -- for the prime minister's visit based on calculations of movements of stars and planets."
'During the Congress rule, the solicitor general had submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court, stating that the government would side with the sentiments of the Hindu community if an evidence was found of a razed temple, where the mosque was built'
The Shia Waqf Board is drafting the terms and conditions of a mutual agreement.
By all yardsticks 2024 isn't expected to be like 2014 or 2019. But with the mandir expected to be ready in time for the next Lok Sabha polls, Modi will have a new ally in Ram to see him through, observes Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
Seers in Ayodhya announce a boycott of the upcoming Ram Leela, objecting to its 'unrestrained' and 'cinematic' presentation, citing concerns about the actors' lifestyles and the sanctity of the epic.
He also hit out at Akhilesh Yadav, saying the UP chief minister is neither with Backward Classes nor Dalits.
The height of Ayodhya's grand Ram temple would be 161-feet
The three-day celebrations began on Saturday with a recital of Yajurveda and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performing an 'abhishek' on the Ram Lalla idol.
With an eye on the Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party raked up the Ayodhya Ram temple issue on Saturday in a bid to boost the party's morale in Uttar Pradesh where good performance in the past had helped it capture power at the Centre.
Rashtra Sevika Samiti emphasizes the importance of guiding International Women's Day with Indian cultural values, focusing on social awareness, mindset change, and women's empowerment through unity and family values.
The ruling alliance partner sought to know what prevents the BJP from making use of its absolute majority in the Lok Sabha to start construction of the temple in Ayodhya.
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