With barely 72 hours to go before Delhi polls for the Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the formation of a trust to construct a Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Amid loud thumping of desks and chants of Jai Shri Ram from the treasury benches, the PM announced in the Lok Sabha that the Union Cabinet has prepared a scheme for the development of Ram temple in Ayodhya as directed by the Supreme Court in its verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case in November, 2019.

In the ongoing Delhi Assembly polls, the BJP has pitched its core ideological issues of the repeal of Article 370, construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and passage of Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) that makes religion a criteria for grant of citizenship. The law allows granting of citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Kejriwal welcomes move

The BJP’s chief opponent in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal welcomed the announcement and refused to engage with questions about the timing of the move by the BJP-led Centre.

“There is no timing for a good decision. Let them make good decision, more such decisions and announce them all in the next two days,” said Kejriwal.

The PM had made the announcement in the Lok Sabha immediately after a decision to this effect by the Union Cabinet in the morning. “We have readied a scheme for the development of Ram Temple in Ayodhya. A trust has been formed, it is called Shri Ram Janambhoomi Tirtha Kshetra , said Modi.

The PM said that after the verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi issue came out, the people of India displayed remarkable faith in democratic processes and procedures. “Let us all support construction of a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya,” he said amid loud cheer from the treasury benches.

Development for all

Modi said in India, be it Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Parsis or Jains, everyone is a part of one ‘large family’. “Development must take place for every member of the family. Our government is moving forward with the mantra of sabka sath sabka vikas so that everyone is happy,” he said.

It has also been decided to transfer 67.703 acre land to the trust, he said, adding the Uttar Pradesh government has agreed to give five acres of land to the UP Sunni Wakf Board as directed by the Supreme Court.

In a statement later, Home Minister Amit Shah said the Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust would have 15 trustees and one among them would be from a Dalit community.

“This is a historic and joyful day. This trust will be totally autonomous in making any decision with regard to the construction on 67 acre land that would be transferred to it… Shri Ramjanmabhoomi Tirtha Trust would have 15 trustees and one would always be from Dalit community,” said Shah in the statement.

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