Fasting for Ram temple, seer hospitalized

LUCKNOW : Ayodhya seer Mahant Paramhans Das, who was on fast-untodeath since October 1 demanding construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, was hospitalised after his condition turned critical on Sunday night. The Faizabad district administration officials sent Das to the SGPGIMS in Lucknow in the early hours of Monday.

LUCKNOW: Ayodhya seer Mahant Paramhans Das, who was on fast-unto-death since October 1 demanding construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, was hospitalised after his condition turned critical on Sunday night.

The Faizabad district administration officials sent Das to the Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) in Lucknow in the early hours of Monday.

In a statement issued to the media on Monday afternoon, SGPGIMS authorities said: “He is currently in post-op ICU and his condition continues to be serious.”

A disciple of Mahant Sarveshwar Das of Tapasvi Ji Ki Chhawni, Paramhans Das sat on fast on the premises of his temple on October 1 demanding construction of Ram temple.

As reports of his deteriorating condition and substantial weight loss reached Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh industrial development minister Satish Mahana rushed to Ayodhya as chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s emissary on Sunday night to persuade the mahant to call off the fast. However, the mahant turned down his request.

A large number of seers present at the spot shouted slogans: “Modi tum ko aana padega, Mandir yahin banana padega (Modi you will have to come and construct the temple here.)”

Gulshan Bindu, a transgender who had contested for mayor’s post in Faizabad Municipal Corporation election, also reached

AS REPORTS OF THE SEER’S DETERIORATING CONDITION REACHED LUCKNOW, UP INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT MINISTER SATISH MAHANA RUSHED TO AYODHYA AS THE CM’S EMISSARY

there in support of the seer.

Satish Mahana talked to the saint for about 25 minutes and tried to convince him that the issue was pending in Supreme Court and the government could not take up construction.

Mahant Paramhans Das did not end the fast even after Mahana assured him that the chief minister would talk to him on Monday.

He, however, told Mahana that he would end the fast by Monday noon if by then the chief minister assured him of temple construction.

“The Modi government should bring an ordinance in the parliament to pave way for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. There should not be any further delay,” said Das.

The head priest of makeshift temple at Ram Janmabhoomi Mahant Satyendra Das has extended support to Paramhans Das.

However, Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas did not support the indefinite fast.

It is a body of saints in Ayodhya which is spearheading Ram temple movement across the country.

Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, who heads the Mani Ram Das Chhawni Peeth in Ayodhya which runs the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, has distanced himself from Das’s fast-untodeath.