This was President Murmu's first visit to Ayodhya since the Ram temple's consecration ceremony on January 22, 2024.
Narendra Modi has proved through execution of this event in Ayodhya that amongst all his contemporaries in politics he knows ordinary Indians like none other, notes Sheela Bhatt.
The RSS's annual Akhil Bharatiya Prant Pracharak Baithak in Belagavi addressed alleged irregularities in the counting of donation box offerings at the Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya, expressing confidence in the ongoing SIT probe. The meeting also reviewed training activities, centenary year programmes, and discussed critical issues such as population imbalance and drug abuse.
The BJP's Murshidabad unit in West Bengal announced plans to construct a Ram temple in Berhampore, days after TMC MLA Humayun Kabir proposed to set up a mosque modeled after the Babri Masjid in Beldanga. The temple construction, estimated to cost Rs 10 crore, is expected to begin on January 22, 2025, one year after the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Kabir's announcement sparked political controversy, with opposition parties accusing him of attempting to polarise communities for political gain. The BJP's counterproposal is seen as a strategic move to strengthen its presence among the Hindu community in Murshidabad.
A heated parliamentary showdown unfolded as NDA and INDIA bloc MPs clashed at Parliament's main gate.
Mishra cited a shortage of around 200 workers and the need to replace certain stones on the temple's first floor as primary reasons for the delay.
Modi believes that the Congress leadership does not have the political sagacity to undertake a course correction because of its preoccupation about not losing its current gains in the voter base, observes Shekhar Iyer.
The Ram temple trust on Monday accepted the resignations of Champat Rai as its general secretary and member Anil Mishra in the wake of embezzlement of donations. Trustee Krishna Mohan has been named as interim general secretary. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust also announced the formation of a three-member committee to identify a chief executive officer (CEO) for the temple trust.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra has appealed to devotees from nearby areas to postpone their visit to Ayodhya for 15-20 days, citing the large number of devotees flocking to the town since January 26. The trust said this will allow devotees from distant places to have an easier darshan experience. The appeal comes as Ayodhya has witnessed a footfall of around 40 lakh devotees since Monday, choking the roads and bylanes leading to the Ram Temple with huge traffic snarls.
The flag will rise atop a 'shikhar' constructed in the traditional North Indian Nagara architectural style, while the surrounding 800-metre Parkota, a circumambulatory enclosure built around the temple, designed in the South Indian architectural tradition, showcases the temple's architectural diversity, it said.
A month ahead of the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on January 22, 2024, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducted an on-site inspection of the under construction shrine.
Rediff.com's Rajesh Karkera and Saisuresh Sivaswamy capture glimpses of the Ram temple during their visit to the shrine on Monday evening.
The Lok Sabha passed two Bills, including one to rename Kerala as Keralam, without debate as Opposition members continued their protests, demanding Union Home Minister Amit Shah's presence to address police excesses against student protesters and alleged Ram temple fund irregularities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called upon citizens to celebrate Independence Day with honour and pride, urging them to take a pledge for a developed India. This appeal comes amidst parliamentary sessions marked by protests from both ruling and opposition alliances.
The Indian government has confirmed its readiness for a Lok Sabha debate on the ongoing student protests and police action, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah set to address the concerns, particularly those related to the NEET paper leak issue.
The BJP has accused the Congress and its INDIA bloc allies of deliberately disrupting the Monsoon Session of Parliament, alleging that their conduct has prevented discussions on key Bills and exposed the Opposition's 'double standards' on issues such as paper leaks and student protests.
The 86-year-old Mahant was undergoing treatment in Gwalior for the last few days, and was brought to the Medanta Hospital after his condition showed no improvement.
This was Murmu's first visit to Ayodhya since the newly-built Ram temple's consecration ceremony was held on January 22.
The stamps are not merely a piece of paper or artwork but they are a miniature form of epics and great ideas, he said in a video message.
A flag-hoisting ceremony is planned for the Ram temple in Ayodhya in November, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi likely to be the chief guest. The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust has shortlisted two dates in November for the event, with preparations gaining momentum.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing alleged embezzlement at the Ram temple in Ayodhya will conduct a re-audit of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust's accounts for the past five years, following preliminary findings of large-scale irregularities.
The Rajya Sabha has passed The Bankers' Books Evidence Bill, 2026, which aims to replace a British-era law and allow digital and virtual records to be admissible as evidence in courts. This legislation aligns with contemporary digital banking practices and extends a uniform evidential framework to various financial entities, including NBFCs and fintech companies. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the bill's role in strengthening public confidence and safeguarding customer privacy. The bill's passage, however, saw an Opposition walkout over unrelated issues.
After visiting Ayodhya for the pran prathishta ceremony at the Ram mandir in January, Amitabh Bachchan returned for another darshan.
The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) has launched an inquiry into allegations of embezzlement of offerings at Badrinath Dham, following similar claims regarding Ram temple donations. The committee president has vowed strict action if irregularities are proven, while the CEO outlined the investigation process.
Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan expressed "deep concern" over the persistent disorder and frequent disruptions that "derailed" the business of the House during the Monsoon Session, leading to a productivity of only 39 per cent.
He is the fourth men's cricketer to be invited for the ceremony after Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli.
A suspended employee of the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee has been booked for alleged irregularities in handling donations at the Badrinath temple. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami condemned the act, calling it a "sin akin to cow slaughter," while a high-level government inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the matter. The Congress party has also demanded a judicial probe.
Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani has said the Ram Janmbhoomi movement, whose primary objective was construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, also became a symbol of 'reclaiming the true meaning of secularism from the onslaught of pseudo-secularism'.
The film folk turned out in traditional outfits for the pran pratishtha at the temple.
Taken from the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite hovering over space, the image shared by ISRO on Sunday shows the grand new temple which will be inaugurated on January 22.
A war of words has erupted in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh after the Congress objected to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party putting up hoardings taking credit for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The monsoon session of Parliament will set the tone for how the Hindu community feels about what happened at the Ram Mandir. Whether emotions will be stirred within the voters of India lies solely at the oratory skills of the Congressis and Samajwadis, notes Zainab Sikander.
'SIT means nothing because the BJP government of Uttar Pradesh and Ram Janmabhoomi Trust are the same people.'
The Ayodhya municipal corporation is grappling with a unique problem: a massive pile of abandoned footwear left behind by devotees at the Ram temple. This issue has arisen due to a change in crowd management measures, leading to a long journey to retrieve shoes for many visitors, causing them to leave the temple barefoot.
Shatrughan Vishwakarma was deployed as part of the Special Security Force (SSF) set to provide security at the temple premises.
A heated exchange occurred in the Maharashtra assembly between Speaker Rahul Narwekar and Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray regarding the "act of God" defence for heavy rains and related incidents. The debate escalated to include climate change and alleged embezzlement at the Ram temple, leading to a brief adjournment.
The BJP enters challenging times where it has been given a task to hold onto the values of Ram in running the country as defined by Narendra Modi in Ayodhya, notes Sheela Bhatt.
The Communist party of India-Marxist said on Tuesday while underlining its belief that religion is a personal choice.
The Kalaram temple, located in Panchavati area of Nashik, is dedicated to Lord Ram.
Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut has made significant claims regarding potential political shifts, suggesting Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis might move to the Centre, paving the way for a new BJP chief minister in the state. Raut also announced a 'Ram Raksha Andolan' protest in Nagpur against alleged embezzlement at the Ayodhya Ram temple and commented on delimitation and activist Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike.
