Govt may announce Ram temple trust in a week

THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE TRUST’S CONSTITUTION, AS WELL AS THE OFFER OF A FIVEACRE PLOT FOR THE MOSQUE, WILL BE MADE SOON AFTER THE UNION CABINET’S APPROVAL

NEWDELHI: The ministry of home affairs is likely to announce the formation of a trust, set up to decide on the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, within a week, an official familiar with the development said on Tuesday.

On November 9, 2019, the Supreme Court had paved the way for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya by a trust, and directed the Centre to allot an alternative five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a new mosque at a “prominent” place in the holy town in Uttar Pradesh.

The UP Sunni Waqf Board is likely to be offered three plots of land to choose from, the senior official who did not want to be named said.

The ministry has prepared the framework for the trust and identified the land to be offered to the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board, the official added.

The entire proposal will be put before the Union Cabinet for its approval, the official said.

The announcement of the trust’s constitution, as well as the offer of a five-acre plot for the mosque, will be made soon after the Union Cabinet’s approval, probably within a week, the official said. The apex court had said the trust should be formed within three months for the construction of the temple at the site where many Hindus believe Lord Ram was born.