News Analysis India

Tag: Ayodhya

  • Ram temple animates interest in tourism; foreign investors keen on developing theme parks, resorts in Ayodhya

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW: The upcoming Ram temple in Ayodhya is giving a push to tourism opportunities in Ayodhya and adjoining districts drawing investors from across the globe to the temple town.

    A delegation of foreign investors representing 5-6  countries visited the temple town of Ayodhya to explore business opportunities. Accompanied by the officials of the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, the delegation was shown various lands in and around Ayodhya for different projects.

    The 12-member delegation also visited the premises of Ram Janmabhoomi and had the darshan of Lord Ram along the Lord Hanuman at Hanuman Garhi. The delegation, led by Mali Faulkner, CEO, Fancan Phoenix Group, USA, comprised Takita Yoshinori of Japan, Hilen-Jung-Hee from Republic of Korea, Francis Oliver and Cumber Bach of Guyana, Alex Andre of Vietnam, Shandal Patrick from California, Jessica Vulcan of Peru, Maria Angel Ladora of Ecuador.

    The delegation was shown various lands along the Lucknow Gorakhpur Highway which crosses Ayodhya. They were shown the land in adjoining areas as well. UP Tourism Department, Deputy Director, Rajendra Prasad said that there was a possibility of signing an MoU on different projects in the Investors Summit proposed to be organised in Lucknow in January next year.

    ALSO READ | Plinth of Ayodhya Ram temple to be completed next month

    Rajendra Prasad claimed that there was a potential for investment to the tune of US$ 2 billion in this sector. For this, foreign investors were being made to visit Ayodhya and other cities of the state, he stated.

    As per the tourism department officials, many members of the foreign delegation showed interest in projects related to theme parks, light shows, bringing out resorts, wellness centres, renewable energy, skill development centres, film-media besides FMCG, etc.

    The delegation was given an overview of 30-acre land acquired by the state tourism department near Korean monument located on the banks of river Saryu. The delegation also visited 80-acre land acquired earlier for the installation of world’s tallest 252-ft statue of Lord Rama at Manjha Barhatha area. In the same series, the green field township proposed by the Housing Development Council in Shahnawazpur was also shown to the foreign investors.

    LUCKNOW: The upcoming Ram temple in Ayodhya is giving a push to tourism opportunities in Ayodhya and adjoining districts drawing investors from across the globe to the temple town.

    A delegation of foreign investors representing 5-6  countries visited the temple town of Ayodhya to explore business opportunities. Accompanied by the officials of the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department, the delegation was shown various lands in and around Ayodhya for different projects.

    The 12-member delegation also visited the premises of Ram Janmabhoomi and had the darshan of Lord Ram along the Lord Hanuman at Hanuman Garhi. The delegation, led by Mali Faulkner, CEO, Fancan Phoenix Group, USA, comprised Takita Yoshinori of Japan, Hilen-Jung-Hee from Republic of Korea, Francis Oliver and Cumber Bach of Guyana, Alex Andre of Vietnam, Shandal Patrick from California, Jessica Vulcan of Peru, Maria Angel Ladora of Ecuador.

    The delegation was shown various lands along the Lucknow Gorakhpur Highway which crosses Ayodhya. They were shown the land in adjoining areas as well. UP Tourism Department, Deputy Director, Rajendra Prasad said that there was a possibility of signing an MoU on different projects in the Investors Summit proposed to be organised in Lucknow in January next year.

    ALSO READ | Plinth of Ayodhya Ram temple to be completed next month

    Rajendra Prasad claimed that there was a potential for investment to the tune of US$ 2 billion in this sector. For this, foreign investors were being made to visit Ayodhya and other cities of the state, he stated.

    As per the tourism department officials, many members of the foreign delegation showed interest in projects related to theme parks, light shows, bringing out resorts, wellness centres, renewable energy, skill development centres, film-media besides FMCG, etc.

    The delegation was given an overview of 30-acre land acquired by the state tourism department near Korean monument located on the banks of river Saryu. The delegation also visited 80-acre land acquired earlier for the installation of world’s tallest 252-ft statue of Lord Rama at Manjha Barhatha area. In the same series, the green field township proposed by the Housing Development Council in Shahnawazpur was also shown to the foreign investors.

  • Estimated cost of Rs 1,800 crore to be incurred for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya: Trust

    At the meeting held at the Faizabad Circuit House, the trust members also unanimously decided to make space for idols of prominent Hindu seers in the temple complex.

  • Construction of Ram temple to be over by December next year: Champat Rai 

    By PTI

    SULTANPUR: Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra general secretary Champat Rai here said the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya will be complete by December next year.

    People will be able to have a glimpse of Ram Lalla at the grand temple then, he said at a function held to mark Raksha Bandhan on Friday.

    “Since Sultanpur is close to Ayodhya, I am extending an invitation to people of this place to have a ‘darshan’ of Shri Ram Lalla next year in December,” he said.

    The construction work is going on at a good pace and the temple will be ready for ‘darshan’ by devotees in December 2023, he added.

    Rai claimed not iron is not being used in the construction work and the design of the temple is such that people will be amazed by it. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra is a trust that has been set up by the Centre for the construction of the temple.

    SULTANPUR: Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra general secretary Champat Rai here said the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya will be complete by December next year.

    People will be able to have a glimpse of Ram Lalla at the grand temple then, he said at a function held to mark Raksha Bandhan on Friday.

    “Since Sultanpur is close to Ayodhya, I am extending an invitation to people of this place to have a ‘darshan’ of Shri Ram Lalla next year in December,” he said.

    The construction work is going on at a good pace and the temple will be ready for ‘darshan’ by devotees in December 2023, he added.

    Rai claimed not iron is not being used in the construction work and the design of the temple is such that people will be amazed by it. The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra is a trust that has been set up by the Centre for the construction of the temple.

  • Man thrashed at river ghat in Ayodhya in apparent case of moral policing

    By PTI

    AYODHYA (UTTAR PRADESH): A man was thrashed by a group of people in an apparent instance of moral policing when he was bathing with his wife in the Saryu river in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Wednesday.

    Police have begun an investigation after a purported video of the incident went viral. A police officer said the exact date of the incident was yet to be ascertained even though some people claimed it had happened at Ram ki Paudi ghat on Tuesday.

    The officer said they had not received any complaint regarding it yet. “However, we are investigating the matter and trying to find the couple and the miscreants who attacked them,” the officer said.

    Ayodhya SSP Shailesh Pandey said, “The matter is being probed.”

  • Aditya Thackeray offers prayers in Ayodhya, resolves to serve people better with blessings of Lord Ram

    Express News Service

    LUCKNOW:  Maharashtra cabinet minister and son of CM Uddhav Thackrey, Aditya Thackeray, who reached temple town of Ayodhya and had darshan of Ram Lalla on Wednesday, resolved to serve people better with his blessings. He along with thousands of Shiv Sainiks was on a day-long visit to Ayodhya and offered prayers at the Ram Temple on Janmbhoomi premises.

    On his first visit to the temple town after becoming the minister in Maha Agadi government, Aditya visited Janambhoomi premises, Hanuman Garhi and also participated in Saryu ‘aarti’ at the banks of the holy river in the evening. The Shiv Sena leader also met his party functionaries and interacted with the media.

    While interacting with media persons after taking darshan of Ram Lalla, Thackeray expressed his gratitude to the people of Ayodhya for giving him a rousing welcome and promised to visit the temple town again. He said that he was visiting Ayodhya as a Ram devotee as Lord Ram and Goddess Sita were there in his heart.

    “We all are the descendants of Lord Ram and we are related to the people of Ayodhya. We come here to seek the blessing of Lord Ram so that we can serve the people. No politics is involved in it as it is a matter of faith for us and for the whole country,” he said.

    When asked about the controversy over the Gyanvapi mosque and the ongoing litigation, Aditya Thackeray refused to get dragged into it saying since he was in Ayodhya so he would talk only about Ayodhya.

    On being asked about the Enforcement Directorate (ED) grilling Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, Thackeray claimed that central agencies had turned more into advertising literature of the BJP.

    Thackeray also claimed that his father and Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray would soon speak to his UP counterpart Yogi Adityanath to ask for some space where a Maharashtra Sadan could be built in Ayodhya to facilitate the stay of Maharashtra devotees in the temple town.

    Earlier, on his arrival in Lucknow on Wednesday morning, Aditya Thackeray steared clear of politics at the airport saying:  “We have been coming to Ayodhya and Lord Ram is in our hearts. Even in 2018, when I came for the first time, we had said ‘Pehle Mandir Fir Sarkar’ (first the temple then the government).

    That created an atmosphere and the Supreme Court gave its decision in favour of temple in 2019. Now after the order of the court, the construction of Ram Temple has finally started. I am here to pray and seek blessings of Ram Lalla to serve people better.”

    On the question of protest by a group of seers in Ayodhya against his visit, Thackeray said, “I won’t get into any allegation or counter allegation. This is a holy place and politics should be kept away from it. This is the land of Ram Rajya and the faith of crores of Indians is linked to Ayodhya. We are ardent followers of Lord Ram and today I am here only for darshan. We pray that we perform only good deeds.”

    It may be mentioned that the priest of Hanuman Garhi Mahant Raju Das and some other seers of the temple town had opposed Aditya Thackeray’s visit accusing the Maharashtra government of inaction in case of lynching of two seers in Palghar in 2020. 

    The seers of Ayodhya also accused Thackerays of “shunning Hindutva and belying the ideals of Shiv Sena founder Bala Saheb Thackeray for the greed of power.” 

    Over 2,000 Shiv Sainiks, led by senior party leaders Sanjay Raut and Eknath Shinde, had reached the temple town by two trains on Tuesday to welcome Aditya Thackeray.

    The Ayodhya district administration had made all preparations beforehand for Thackeray’s visit. Around 1,051 lamps were be lit for Saryu aarti. He performed Abhishek of River Saryu with 1.5 tonnes of milk.

  • Raj Thackeray puts off his June 5 Ayodhya visit 

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Friday announced that his visit to Ayodhya scheduled on June 5 has been put off.

    Taking to Twitter, Thackeray said his tour to the Uttar Pradesh city has been put off for the time being and that he would speak about it during his rally in Pune on May 22 morning.

    Thackeray’s tweet came amid reports that he is unwell.

    The MNS chief had recently courted a controversy after he demanded that loudspeakers atop mosques be removed or else his party workers would recite Hanuman Chalisa outside these place at a higher volume.

    Recently, BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, had opposed Thackeray’s proposed visit to Ayodhya and warned that he will not be allowed to enter the Uttar Pradesh city till he tendered a public apology for “humiliating” north Indians in the past.

  • Maharashtra minister Aditya Thackeray to visit Ayodhya in first week of May

    By ANI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Tourism and Environment Minister Aditya Thackeray will visit Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh in the first week of May. He will go to the Ram Janambhoomi site during his one-day visit.

    Earlier, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray also confirmed his visit to Ayodhya. “I will go to Ayodhya on June 5. If because of the Supreme Court and the Central government, the construction of Ram Mandir is possible. It would be good if I go there,” said Raj Thackeray.

  • Will give tit for tat if loudspeakers on mosques not removed by May 3: MNS chief Raj Thackeray

    By PTI

    PUNE: Raising the pitch for Hindutva, MNS president Raj Thackeray on Sunday said he will visit Ayodhya on June 5 to take darshan of Lord Ram and appealed to “Hindu brothers” to “be prepared” if loudspeakers are not removed from mosques by May 3.

    Stating that loudspeakers relaying the ‘azaan’ call is more of a social issue than a religious one, Thackeray said that they don’t want peace in the society disturbed, “but if the use of loudspeakers continues then they (Muslims) will also have to listen to our prayers on loudspeakers”.

    “On May 1, I will address a public gathering at Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad). On June 5, I will visit Ayodhya for darshan along with MNS volunteers. I also appeal to others to come to Ayodhya,” the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president told a press conference in Pune.

    When asked about the purpose of his visit to Ayodhya, Raj Thackeray parried the question, saying he has not travelled out for a long time. However, speaking about the Ayodhya visit after the press conference, he said, “So many ‘kar sevaks’ lost their lives for it (Ram temple). And due to the Supreme Court and central government, the Ram temple is being established there. So I want to go there at its initial stage (of construction). Later, once the temple gets ready, everybody will visit it again.”

    Interestingly, amid a war of words between the ruling Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray, Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Saturday said that state minister Aaditya Thackeray will visit Ayodhya next month. Raj Thackeray reiterated his demand that loudspeakers on mosques be removed by May 3 or else MNS will play ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ eulogising Lord Hanuman on loudspeakers outside mosques.

    “People think that loudspeakers atop mosques is a religious issue, but it is a social issue. If you want to play loudspeakers five times a day then we will play ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ five times in front of mosques. I appeal to all Hindu brothers to be prepared. We will wait till May 3 when Ramzan ends. But if they don’t stop, and if they think that their religion is bigger than the judiciary, then we will give tit for tat. The MNS is preparing for it,” he said.

    Stating that the MNS never wanted communal riots to take place in the country or to disturb the peace, Raj Thackeray said the Muslim community should look at the demand for the removal of loudspeakers from mosques from a humanitarian angle. “We are not opposing their prayers. But if they insist on using loudspeakers then they will have to listen to our prayers on loudspeakers,” the MNS chief said.

    He narrated an incident involving a Muslim reporter who had told MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar, how he had to visit the mosque near his house and ask the management to shut down speakers as his newborn child is disturbed by the loud noise of prayers.

    When asked about the police action against MNS volunteers for playing Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers, Raj Thackeray asked why separate legal parameters are applied for mosques and MNS workers.

    Replying to the purported statement of a Popular Front of India leader that nobody will be allowed to touch loudspeakers atop mosques, Raj Thackeray said, “Our hands are not tied.” When asked about Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut calling him a “new Hindu Owaisi”, the MNS chief said that he doesn’t respond to “lavande” (spineless people).

    “If our processions are attacked then we won’t stay calm. Our hands are not tied. Don’t force us to pick up weapons,” he said when asked about the attack on a Hanuman Jayanti procession on Saturday.

    Speaking to reporters later, Thackeray said the Dawoodi Bohra Muslim community offers prayers without playing the ‘azaan’ on loudspeakers. “Doesn’t the prayer of people from the Bohra community reach Allah? They pray without loudspeakers, but others (Muslims) use loudspeakers daily, whereas we are required to get permission to use loudspeakers to celebrate Ganesh festival or Navratri,” he added.

  • First vote in Ayodhya after end of Ram temple dispute

    Express News Service

    PRAYAGRAJ: The UP assembly election cavalcade will enter the fifth phase on Sunday, taking the battle of the ballot from the banks of the river Saryu in Ayodhya to the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Sarswati in Prayagraj, covering the fertile Gangetic plains of northern India.

    Ayodhya will witness the first election after the decades-old Ram Janmabhoomi -Babri Masjid dispute was settled by Supreme Court in 2019. Ayodhya has seen many firsts in the last five years under Yogi Adityanath. Besides its geographical expansion, name of the district was changed to Ayodhya from Faizabad.

    This will test the political laboratories of contemporary politics woven around Hindutva by the saffron brigade. It will decide the fate of a number of bigwigs, including six ministers: Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, civil aviation minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi, MSME minister Sidhharth Nath Singh, social welfare minister Rampati Shastri, rural development minister Rajendra Pratap Singh and minister of state Chandrika Prasad Upadhyay.

    The fate of Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya in his bastion Kunda and Congress candidate Aradhna Mishra in Rampur Khas, the traditional pocket borough of grand old party, will also be decided.

  • Uttar Pradesh elections 2022: No cakewalk for BJP in temple town of Ayodhya

    Express News Service

    AYODHYA: In the first electoral battle after Supreme Court order settling the vexed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid issue, the temple town of Ayodhya seems to be evenly poised for a tough battle of ballots ahead. It will vote in phase-V on Sunday.

    The temple issue, which has been one of major poll planks of the saffron brigade for  decades, is not so any more in Ayodhya as the temple is now coming up following the court order. However, people attribute it to the BJP saying the party never left the issue.

    “I know the court order has paved way for temple construction but BJP shares our sentiments and Modiji laid the temple’s foundation. I don’t think any other PM would have done that personally,” says Mahesh Prasad Gupta, 52, a businessman.

    Iqbal Ansari, one of the litigants in the mandir-masjid dispute, feels the BJP should come again. “Rule of law is prevailing in Ayodhya. We are living amicably,” he says. Ayodhya Assembly segment is considered a BJP stronghold for it remained with the party since 1991, till the SP wrested it in the 2012 election.

    While the BJP has repeated its sitting MLA Ved Prakash Gupta, SP has given ticket to Brahmin face Tej Narain Pandey alias Pawan Pandey who had defeated BJP’s Lallu Singh in 2012. Pandey was defeated by Gupta in 2017. Though Gupta is facing some anti-incumbency, he seems to have an edge as people are set to vote in the names of Modi and Yogi.

    ALSO READ| BJP internal survey says tough fight in Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls

    With no palpable anti-incumbency in the constituency, Samajwadi Party is banking upon the caste configuration of Ayodhya. SP’s core vote base here comprising Muslims and Yadavs together make a respectable 92,000 voters with Yadavs being 37,000 and Muslims 55,000.

    The party has strategically fielded a Brahmin eyeing some support from the community. “We are confident of support of all castes and win the seat,” says Vishnu Singh, an SP member.

    The development work undertaken by the incumbent government is the main plank of the BJP. “Whatever the BJP government did so far for Ayodhya, no government has ever done and no one will ever do,” says Dinesh Kumar Singh, a private school teacher. 

    Siddharth Rawat, dealing in edible oil, is not ready to acknowledge the development of Ayodhya. “Had BJP government done so much, Yogi would not have gone to Gorakhpur to contest election. He didn’t have the confidence of winning from Ayodhya,” reasons out Rawat.

    The issue of stray cattle is also being raised in debates. “Only this issue needs to be resolved as it is hitting the farmers, otherwise the government has done all-round development of Ayodhya,” says Abhishek Srivatava. Ram Autar Tiwari, a farmer, feels free ration is useless and farmers are helpless due to stray animals.

    Meanwhile, seers of Ayodhya stand in BJP’s support. “The construction of temple has forced politicians like BSP leader SC Mishra, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to rush here only to draw political gains,” says Mahant Raju Das, priest, Hanuman Garhi temple.

    If Abdul Gaffar feels SP would win majority of seats in and around Ayodhya, Razia, coming out of a PDS shop, acknowledges facilities given by the BJP government.

    Kalpana Mishra, a housewife and mother of two girls, feels safety of women is not at stake anymore. Suraiyya of Sunni Mohal locality begs to differ saying that law and order was equally good in SP regime.

    However, the pain of having sacrificed Babri Masjid still lingers on. “It will always be there till we are alive,” says Haji Yusuf Qureshi.