YOGI GOVT PLANS 100M STATUE OF LORD RAM IN AYODHYA

LUCKNOW: The Yogi Adityanathled government in Uttar Pradesh is planning to install a 100-metre statue of Lord Ram in a warrior pose on the River Saryu in Ayodhya, as part of a plan to put the temple town on the religious tourism map. Principal secretary, tourism, Awanish Kumar Awasthi said the statue would come up in Ayodhya only after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) clearance to the project. Awasthi, who is in Ayodhya, said that a grand statue is just at the conceptual level and would be on the pattern of Ram’s statue at Bali and statue of Shiva in Mauritius.

GORAKHPUR : Chief minister Yogi Adityanath is likely to share the happiness of Diwali with the socially-marginalised Vantangiyas of Jangal Tinkoniya village during his visit to Gorakhpur.

Yogi, who served as Gorakhpur MP for 25 years, has been visiting Vantangiyas every Diwali for the last 10 years to distribute sweets, books, pen and pencil among the children.

In the wake of his possible visit, the villagers had started cleaning the village since Dussehra and also made an emotional appeal that they would not celebrate Diwali if Yogi fails to celebrate the festival with them.

The village has a special bond with Yogi, who as an MP ensured the opening of Hindu Vidyapeeth, the first school in the village. Jangal Tinkoniya is not recognised as a revenue village which is a prerequisite for the provision of government facilities. The place received attention after Yogi took over as CM and is now likely to be announced a revenue village.

“The schedule of Yogi’s programme is yet to be announced but we have come to know that he will visit the Vantangiyas on Diwali,” said BJP district president Janardan Tiwari.

“After meeting Vantangiyas in the afternoon, Yogi will fly back to Gorakhnath Temple to perform Lakshmi pujan on Diwali night,” he said.

The CM is likely to reach Gorakhpur on October 16 and stay at the temple for four days before flying back to Lucknow on October 20. However, he will leave for Ayodhya on October 18 to take part in Diwali celebrations there.

“Barring Lakshmi pujan by Yogi Adityanath, no other major ritual is performed at Gorakhnath Temple on Diwali,” said temple’s PRO Vinay Gautam.

On October 16, the CM may perform bhoomi pujan of GAIL’s gas terminal at fertilizer factory.

Operations were lying suspended at the factory since the ’90s and are now being revived.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of the fertiliser factory and AIIMS during a public meeting in Gorakhpur in July 2015.

On October 16, Yogi will also visit Pipraich to lay the foundation stone of a sugar mill.