Lucknow: Within days of chairing a meeting of his cabinet at Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday sought to remind people that BJP had fulfilled its promise to get a grand Ram Temple constructed in Ayodhya as the temple town sought to create a record by illuminating more than 24 lakh ‘diyas’ (earthen lamps) on the eve of Diwali. The earthen lamps would be illuminated mainly on the banks of the sacred Saryu River and near important temples in the town.
Addressing a gathering of seers and devotees at Ayodhya on this occasion, Adityanath said that people had asked him to ensure the construction of the Ram Temple when he visited the temple town in 2017 to launch the ‘Deepotsav’ (lighting of earthen lamps) in Ayodhya.
The chief minister listed the works undertaken to improve the infrastructure and facilities at religious centres in the state during the past few years and said that Ayodhya is now known all over the world.
He said that the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple would be held in January next year and that the temple town would witness rapid development after that. ”Many projects will be launched in Ayodhya which will result in generating large-scale employment,” he added.
BJP plans to make the consecration ceremony, which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a huge event. The event assumes political significance as it will be held barely a few months before the next Lok Sabha polls in 2024.
(Published 11 November 2023, 13:04 IST)