Karni Sena wants ‘Ram palace’ at Ayodhya

Amid an ongoing campaign by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its affiliates for construction of Ram temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, the Rajput Karni Sena (RKS) has added a new twist to the campaign by seeking for construction of a grand palace for Ram, instead of a temple there. The RKS made this demand at a function in Patna.

“Ram was born in a palace, not in a temple. Hence, a magnificent palace should be constructed at Ayodhya,” RKS chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi told the media on Thursday evening, adding his organisation had already filed a petition in the Supreme Court which is currently hearing the Ayodhya land dispute case.

“Religious leaders have been demanding the construction of a Ram temple. Some political parties oppose this but we are of the opinion that a magnificent palace be constructed there since Ram was born in a palace,” Kalvi said. He announced the RKS would fund the construction of palace if they are allowed to go ahead with the plan.

The city of Ayodhya is a holy site for Hindus who consider it as the birthplace of Ram or Rama, also known as Ramachandra. According to Hindu mythology, Ram was born to Kaushalya and Dashratha in Ayodhya, in the kingdom of Kosala.