‘Grand statue’ of Ram in Ayodhya soon

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath said on Tuesday a “grand statue” of Lord Ram will soon come up in Ayodhya. The announcement came a day after Adityanath promised a flurry of projects for the temple town associated with the planned Ram Temple at the disputed site.

“Ayodhya’s identity is associated with Maryada Purshottam Bhagwan Shri Ram. There will be a statue for worshipping inside the temple, but the other one will establish the town’s identity,” Adityanath said, while speaking to reporters in Faizabad on Diwali, the festival of lights.

“We will work on everything that will honour the faith as well

as establish Ayodhya’s identity. We are working towards giving the final touches to it,” the chief minister, who on Tuesday associated the temple town with honour, pride and prestige, said.

The government, he said, is working on the survey and various architects have suggested their designs for the statue. “We will keep working on it accordingly and proceed on it at the right moment.”

The chief minister, however, did not comment on the proposed statue’s size.

Adityanath had announced on the eve of Diwali that Uttar Pradesh’s Faizabad district will now be known as Ayodhya. The district comprises the twin towns of Faizabad and Ayodhya, which the Hindus revere as Lord Ram’s birthplace.

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