VHP wants Trust to stick to original design of Ram temple

It says every Hindu should have the privilege of contributing both monetarily and with labour to build the temple

A worker polishes a model of a temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas workshop in Ayodhya on December 6, 2018.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Wednesday requested the newly announced Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust , which will oversee the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya following the Supreme Court verdict, to keep to the design finalised by the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, which had spearheaded the temple movement.

VHP working president Alok Kumar said at a press conference in New Delhi that they wanted adherence to the original design, as it had a large scale endorsement from the movement.

Mr. Kumar said every Hindu should have the privilege of contributing both monetarily and labour to the temple construction endeavour. Every individual could be asked to contribute a minimum of ₹11 to a public subscription model for raising funds. “Every Hindu, if he/she so wishes should also be allowed to contribute physically [ haat lagaane ka mauka] in the temple construction”.

 

Public processions

Many villages that had contributed “Ram Shilas” or bricks at the height of the movement three decades ago should, between March 25 (the beginning of Chaitra Navaratri) and April 8 (Hanuman Jayanti), celebrate “Ramotsav” and take out "shobha yatras" (public processions) celebrating the temple construction, he said.

Mr. Kumar later said it would take around four years for constructing the temple, and that Ayodhya should have better infrastructure for pilgrims to visit, especially on their way to Prayagraj.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced the setting up of a Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust in the Lok Sabha after it was cleared by the Cabinet.