UP CM faces flak for ceremony in Ayodhya

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday presided over a ceremony to shift the idol of Ram Lalla to a pre-fabricated temple in the Ram Janmabhoomi premises in Ayodhya.

The ceremony was held despite a nation-wide lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

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

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 members of the Trust were present at the event with entry for locals or media persons restricted.

Champat Rai, general secretary of the Trust, and Trust members, Mahant Dhinendra Das, Vimlendra Mohan Pratap

Mishra and Anil Mishra, were also present at the event.

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.

The chief minister, however, has come under criticism for holding the ceremony.

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.”

Reacting to the criticism, 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.”