Thousands of devotees thronged the temple town of Ayodhya on Sunday to attend Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) marathon ‘Dharam Sabha’ for discussing construction of a Ram Temple here, with a senior religious leader asserting that the dates for the same would be announced early next year.
Addressing the sabha after the inauguration, marked by chanting of mantras, 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
“I have been associated with the Ram temple movement for last three years, and I feel that even the Muslims of Ayodhya want a Ram temple should be built. I am a Muslim, and I am welcoming the Ram devotees,” said Khan.
The VHP claimed over three lakh people attended the congregation as devotees from all walks of life descended here to discuss the way forward for building the temple.
Want entire land
Senior VHP leader Champat Rai declared that no formula dividing the disputed land will be acceptable for temple construction at Ayodhya.
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 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 added.
The religious congregation, which lasted for nearly five hours, saw around 50 seers from different ashrams and akhadas taking part.
Saints from Haridwar, Chhattisgarh, Hrisikesh, Ujjain, Gujarat, Chitraoot, Prayagraj and Lucknow attended the congregation, said Mahant Ramdas of Nirmohi Akhada of Ayodhya.
Slogans in praise of Lord Ram could be heard from various corners of the programme venue and also on the stretch of the road leading to it.
Senior religious leader Ram Bhadracharya claimed he had met a senior minister on Friday with regard to construction of the temple
“On November 23, I had called a senior union minister who assured that after the Model Code of Conduct comes to an end on 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.
Festive occasion
Large hoardings of Mahanat Avaidyanath (guru of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath), Mahant Ramchandra Das and VHP stalwart Ashok Singhal dotted the place.
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 BJP setting up camp and providing medicines for the needy.
Meanwhile, 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 urgent intervention into the developments in Ayodhya.