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UP CM faces flak for ceremony in Ayodhya

Hindustan Times, Lucknow | By
Mar 26, 2020 08:44 AM IST

Priests from New Delhi, Varanasi and Ayodhya performed Vedic rituals which began on March 23 and continued till the shifting of the deity took place at 4.30 am on Wednesday.

With Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath presiding over the early morning ceremony, Ram Lalla’s idol was moved to a pre-fabricated, temporary temple within the Ram Janmabhoomi premises in Ayodhya on Wednesday morning.

The idol of Ram Lalla, the presiding deity of the Ram Janmabhoomi, had been in the makeshift temple since December 6, 1992.

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The ceremony, held on the first day of the nine-day-long Navratra, was organised by the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust. Only priests and Trust members were present at the event; no locals or media persons were allowed.

Priests from New Delhi, Varanasi and Ayodhya performed Vedic rituals which began on March 23 and continued till the shifting of the deity took place at 4.30 am on Wednesday.

Prominent among those present on the occasion were the general secretary of the Trust, Champat Rai, its members, including Mahant Dhinendra Das, Vimlendra Mohan Pratap Mishra and Anil Mishra.

Additional chief secretary (home) Awanish Awasthi, who is the state government’s representative in the Trust and district magistrate of Ayodhya Anuj Jha (ex-officio member of the Trust) were also present.

Chairman of the Trust Mahant Nritya Gopal Das was represented by his heir Mahant Kamal Nayan Das.

Meanwhile, questions are being raised over holding of the ceremony despite the 21-day lockdown, beginning the same day, to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Ramesh Dixit, former professor, political science department, Lucknow University, said, “When there is a nationwide lockdown and the Prime Minister has appealed for us to remain indoors, the ceremony should have been postponed.”

“The chief minister should have set an example by postponing the ceremony,” he added.

Social activist Nutan Thakur, tweeted to Prime Minister and Union home minister Amit Shah, seeking action against the CM for attending the ceremony.

However, justifying why the ceremony was held, Trust general secretary Champat Rai said, “The ceremony was organised by the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirath Kshetra Trust. It was decided to shift Ram Lalla on the first day of Navratra, on March 25. Only members of the Trust and priests were allowed to attend the ceremony.”

Around 15 lakh devotees were expected to arrive in Ayodhya during the nine-day Navratri staring March 25 and for Ram Navami Mela on April 2, the last day of Navratri. However, the administration cancelled all the Navratri celebrations, including the mela..

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