Eyeing 2024 polls, Amit Shah announces Ram Mandir opening date
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday that the 'Ram Mandir' in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, will open on January 1, 2024. Shah made the announcement while addressing a rally in Tripura, and accused the Congress Party of 'hindering' the project. Notably, the Ram Mandir's construction tops the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) manifesto with the inauguration date only months before the 2024 General Elections.
Why does this story matter?
Caught in a legal battle for decades, Ram Mandir construction began in August 2020 after the Supreme Court formed Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to handle its construction in Ayodhya at the site of the Babri Masjid. Following the Supreme Court's decision, the trust was given 2.77 acres of the contested territory. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lay the foundation stone on August 5.
What exactly did Home Minister say?
"The Congress hindered the construction of Ram Temple in courts... After the Supreme Court verdict came, PM Narendra Modi began the construction of the temple," Shah said. adding, "Ram Temple will be ready on 1st January 2024." In November, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath said that the temple construction had crossed the halfway mark and it would be ready by December this year.
Watch: Video of HM Amit Shah's address
Temple complex will have various structures and facilities
The temple, which would cost Rs. 1,800 crore, will feature 160 columns on the ground floor, 132 on the first floor, and 74 on the second floor. On the grounds, in addition to the pilgrim facilitation center, museum, archives, research center, auditorium, cow stable, administrative building, and priest quarters, there will be five "mandaps" or pavilions and heritage structures as well.
Idols of influential Hindu seers will be on display also
Additionally, the temple complex will have idols of influential Hindu seers and statues of the main characters of the Ramayana period. It was decided at a high level of the temple trust in September attended by 14 of the 15 Trust members.
Climate change: Congress on receiving letter from Ram Mandir priest
On Wednesday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed that people greeted the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra at the BJP headquarters in Barauli, Baghpat district. He also mentioned the letter the head priest of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple sent to Rahul Gandhi regarding the Yatra and the "praise" by Champat Rai, the trust's secretary. "Signs of climate change in Yogi's state?" he tweeted.
