SUBRAT DAS
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had promised construction of Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya since several years, has now been successful in the fulfilment of this electoral promise. Now, the BJP-led central government has decided to hold the consecration ceremony of Ram Lala and inauguration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram this month. The saffron party has planned to appropriate this auspicious occasion politically by telecasting the event nationwide.
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While it will give a big boost to the pilgrim tourism, the BJP is set to take political mileage ahead of the 2024 general elections. With barely few months away to the elections, the party would try to capitalise the emotions of the people across the country.
The party has asked its workers to put up large screens at the booth level across the country for the telecast of the ceremonies. Several VVIP guests from the country and abroad have been invited to participate.
The prana pratistha (consecration) of Ram Lala is scheduled to be held on January 16 and the Ram Mandir will be inaugurated on January 22. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will grace these events.
Also Read: Yogi urges residents to light ‘Ram Jyoti' in every house on Jan 22.
Ram mandir was a prominent electoral plank since the eighties. It hogged the world-wide limelight with the infamous demolition of Babri masjid, which was believed to be built over the Ram janmabhoomi (the birthplace of Lord Ram), on December 6, 1992.
Earlier, on September 25, 1990 senior BJP leader LK Advani had begun rath yatra campaign from Somnath in Gajarat on the Ram mandir issue which had hit the national headlines.
Nearly 27 years after the demolition of the 16th Century Babri Masjid, the Supreme Court in its landslide verdict on November 9, 2019 ruled that the disputed land be handed over to Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas for construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya.
The civil construction started on August 5, 2020 following a bhumi pujan ceremony and it cost Rs 1400 crore. The construction of the three-storeyed temple complex got completed in December, 2023. Now the Ram temple is ready to be dedicated.
Also Read: Padma Awardees being invited to perform in Ayodhya.
Meanwhile, the Ayodhya rail station has been renamed as Ayodhya Dham station and the local airport had been converted to Maharishi Valmiki International Airport.
The Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas has made arrangements for accommodating 10,000 to 15,000 people.
