Shiv Sena wants ex-CJI Ranjan Gogoi invited to Ayodhya; appends ongoing events to Ramayana

As the date for the stone-laying ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Temple was finalised, a controversy broke out on the chief guests who were invited for the event, and after NCP supremo said that 'some people' are not focussing on COVID. Commenting on the same, Shiv Sena via its mouthpiece Saamana said that former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi who is now a Rajya Sabha member should get a special invitation. It has also said that Shiv Sainiks played an important role in the Ram Temple Movement and they deserve an applause.

Narrating the sequence of events - from senior BJP leader LK Advani's Rath Yatra that was halted by then Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav to the demolition of Babri Masjid - whose hearing is going on in the CBI court - Shiv Sena in its editorial said that there is no end to 'Ramayan' and that it is a proud moment for all Ram Bhakhts. It also highlighted the major role played by its founder Balasaheb Thackeray in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and added that the August 5 event, in which PM Modi will lay the foundation stone would not have been possible without the efforts of aforementioned people including BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi.

Even as the matter is sub-judice, the Saamana editorial has said that Mughal emperor Babur attacked India and demolished the temple to build the mosque, therefore, the case related to Babri demolition in which LK Advani will depose on July 24 before the CBI court should be quashed immediately. 

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August 5 has been confirmed as the date for laying the foundation stone of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. As per sources, senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are likely to accompany PM Modi for the event. 

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NCP sparks controversy

Sparking a controversy on Monday, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, while addressing a press conference in Solapur, said that while the country is still fighting with the Coronavirus pandemic, some people are focussed to build temples. "We are all thinking of how to fight the battle against Coronavirus but some people think that Coronavirus will be mitigated by building a temple. But our priority is to see how to improve the economy which has been affected due to lockdown. The lockdown has created an economic crisis and we want to request the State and Central government to pay attention to the issue," Pawar said.

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Ram Mandir Trust formation & meetings

Prime Minister Modi had announced the formation of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust in the Lok Sabha on February 5, with his own former Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra heading the construction committee. The committee has met several times and has invited the PM to lay the foundation stone when the construction begins. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on March 25 performed special puja and shifted Ram Lalla from the makeshift temple in Ayodhya to another a pre-fabricated temple in the same premises. 

Amid the relaxed restrictions of Coronavirus lockdown, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust met on July 18 in Ayodhya. The temple construction will commence after the foundation stone-laying ceremony. The trust has estimated that construction of the temple will be completed in 3-3.5 years i.e by 2023. The ceremony was previously stalled due to India-China's face-off, as per the trust.

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