Uma Bharti opts out of 'bhumi pujan' ceremony

Ayodhya, Aug 3: Senior Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Uma Bharti has asked the senior officials of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to remove her name from the list of invitees for the 'bhumi pujan' ceremony of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya on August 5. Taking to Twitter, Uma Bharti said that she is concerned about the health of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others who will be attending the mega event at Ayodhya, amid the Corona pandemic. She wrote that she is concerned after getting the news of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and few others from the party having also tested positive for Covid-19. "There is a possibility that I might come in contact with an infected person. In such a situation, I have decided to maintain a distance from Prime Minister Modi and other attendees. I will offer prayers to Ram Lalla once the event is over," she tweeted in Hindi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to reach Ayodhya at around 11 a.m. on August 5 and he is likely to stay there for around three hours. Modi will first offer prayers at Hanuman Garhi and then visit the pre-fabricated temple at Manas Bhawan where the idol of Lord Ram is presently kept. He will then proceed to the Ram Janmabhoomi site for the 'bhumi pujan'. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat will also share the stage with the Prime Minister. Meanwhile, tight security arrangements have been made in Ayodhya for the event. The local administration has been asked to implement strict safety protocols. A priest and 16 police officers on duty in Ayodhya have already tested positive for the Corona virus recently. (IANS)