VHP, saints may propose temple construction date at meeting today

Nearly 300 Hindu saints from all over the country and Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders will participate in the VHP’s Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal meeting here on Monday.

It will be the first such meeting to be held at Magh Mela in Prayagraj.

During the meeting, saints are likely to propose the date for commencement of construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Senior VHP office bearers, who did not wish to be named, said in all likelihood the construction could begin on the festival of Ram Navmi on April 2.

In its Ayodhya verdict on November 9 last year, the Supreme Court had paved the way for construction of Ram temple.

Senior VHP office bearers, including vice presidents Champat Rai, Jiveshwar Mishra and others, have arrived at the VHP camp here.

The meeting is also likely to focus on other issues like population control, restoring values of Hindu religion, ban on cow slaughter, getting Ganga rid of pollution, etc.

VHP vice president Jiveshwar Mishra said the decision to take up the issue of Ram temple constriction in Ayodhya was taken at the first-ever Dharam Sansad held at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi in 1984.

He said the Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal meeting in Ayodhya would be the first one after the Supreme Court verdict.

Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas head Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, Peethadeeshwar of Juna Akhada Mahamandaleshwar Swami Avadheshanand Giri, Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti chief Avichal Das Maharaj, Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati and Govinddev Giri are expected to participate in the meeting.

The VHP had also organised Dharam Sansad at the Kumbh Mela last year. A proposal for the temple was approved at the meet where saints called upon people to give another term to the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat had said before a gathering of saints assembled at the Dharam Sansad last year, “If something (related with Ram temple) is not going to happen in the next four to six months, then do not lose heart. In the next one year, Ram temple will definitely come up in Ayodhya irrespective of the political scenario in the country.”

Caption: VHP camp in Magh Mela where the Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal meeting will be held on Monday.

(Pix by Anil Kumar Maurya/HT)