Oppn. sees politics behind move on Ramlila grounds

U.P. govt. plans ‘artistic Ramayana premises’ in 10 districts

The Uttar Pradesh government has directed authorities in 10 districts to raise the boundary walls and install entry gates for Ramlila grounds, leaving the Opposition fuming over what it sees as a pro-Hindutva card of the Yogi Adityanath-led dispensation ahead of 2019 polls.

‘Hindutva agenda’

“The promises made by the Bharatiya Janata Party in polls have not been fulfilled. As 2019 elections are near, the move is nothing but pushing the Hindutva agenda to polarise voters,” Samajwadi Party leader Rajpal Kashyap said.

“We believe in development of the State and works initiated by the previous Akhilesh Yadav government have set an example which it (BJP) should follow, instead of indulging in gimmicks,” he said.

Congress leader Mukesh Singh Chauhan also termed the decision as a “political gimmick” of the BJP and said it will not serve any “political purpose”.

‘Boundary walls’

“Ramlila grounds should be identified as per revenue records, Ramlila committees and local beliefs and 6-8-feet-high boundary walls, having murals related to the Ramayana, should be built so that the entire place is developed as an artistic Ramayana premises,” Special Secretary of Culture Department Shishir had said in a recent order.

The order was issued to the District Magistrates of Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Bareilly, Varanasi, Chitrakoot, Ayodhya, Allahabad, Firozabad, Agra and Saharanpur.

The grounds should have adequate arrangements for drinking water and power supply, it said.

The order also suggested that the entry gates of these grounds be named after Ayodhya, Chitrakoot, Mithila, Janakpur and Panchvati — places associated with the Ramayana.

A committee, chaired by the respective DMs, will assess the proposals for development of Ramlila grounds and decide on the rent, among other things, after the work is complete.

Cultural events

After a ground has been developed, it will be handed over to a Ramlila committee on the condition that it will be used for other cultural events, besides ‘Ramlila’ — an enactment of the life of Lord Ram.