On Diwali eve, Yogi renames Faizabad district as Ayodhya
Ram airport, Dashrath medical college planned in newly- named district
As the clamour for Ram temple continues to get shriller, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday stepped on the gas and renamed Faizabad district as Sri Ayodhya on Diwali eve and asserted that no body can do injustice to the holy city that is at the centre of the Ram- JanmabhoomiBabri Masjid title dispute.
The saffron- robed chief minister also announced plans to build an airport named after Lord Ram and set up a medical college in the name of King Dashrath, father of Lord Ram, in the newly- named district.
“Ayodhya is a symbol of our ‘ aan, baan aur shaan’ ( honour, pride and prestige),” Mr Adityanath said in the pilgrim town, about 120 km from state capital Lucknow, while addressing people on the occasion of “Deepotsav” — a festival of light.
“Nobody can do injustice to Ayodhya,” he said, adding that the holy city is identified by Lord Ram.
“I want to make sure that Lord Ram’s legacy lives forever,” explained the priest- politician, justifying the renaming of Faizabad district of
which Ayodhya city, where the disputed templemosque site is located, is a part. The Faizabad district comprises of the twin towns of Faizabad and Ayodhya on the banks of the river Saryu.
The renaming of
Close on the heels of renaming Allahabad as Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday announced that Faizabad district will henceforth be known as Ayodhya.
“Ayodhya is a symbol of our ‘ aan, baan aur shaan’ ( honour, pride and prestige)” he said in the pilgrim town, about 120 km from state capital Lucknow.
“Nobody can do injustice to Ayodhya,” he said, adding that the holy city is identified by Lord Ram.
Adityanath was speaking on the occasion of “Deepotsav” on Diwali eve. He also announced setting up of a new airport in Ayodhya, named after Lord Ram, and a medical college in the name of King Dashrath, father of Lord Ram, in the district. A section of the crowd was also heard chanting “Mandir ka nirman karao” ( build a temple). “Deepotsav is about starting a new tradition,” Adityanath said at the event at Katha Park which was also attended by South Korean First Lady Kim Jung- sook.
Several projects, including redevelopment and beautification of ‘ Ram Ki Paidi’ and stoppage of sewage disposal in Saryu river, were launched at the event.