In Ayodhya, Ram temple back in focus as stones arrive from Gujarat, Rajasthan

The leaders would not disclose the names of the “Ram bhakts” who had dispatched the huge pieces of stone from Bharatpur in Rajasthan that were unloaded here on Sunday evening. Speaking to The Indian Express at Maniram Das Ki Chhavni, Das said, “Some Ram bhakts from Rajasthan and Gujarat sent these stones to speed up construction work for the temple. There is no contribution from the central government.”

VHP spokesperson Sharad Sharma said that around 1.75 lakh cubic feet of stone was required to build the temple as per its proposed design. He said that around 1 lakh cubic feet of stone has been purchased since 1990. The plan is for a 268-foot long, 140-foot broad and 128-foot high temple across two floors, topped by a shikhar (dome).

Sharma said the supply of stones was halted and work slowed because mining of sandstone of the required size had been stopped in Rajasthan in 2007. He said the fresh supply would not amount to contempt of court. While there are over a dozen artisans at the workshop at present, Sharma said more staff would be hired.

VHP Margdarshak Mandal member Swami Chinmayananda said the fresh stones could be a move of the Nyas to mount pressure on the Centre to initiate steps to construct the temple.

Faizabad Range DIG Vijay Garg said the legality of the issue would be examined. “The situation is normal but action will be taken if there is any impact on law and order,” he said. Faizabad SSP Mohit Gupta said the supply of stones at the workshop is not a matter of concern from the law and order point of view. The situation is normal in the district, he added.

Hashim Ansari, the oldest litigant in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title suit case, called it a “political stunt” of the VHP to help the BJP. “The move of the Nyas and VHP to collect stones was a politically motivated stunt ahead of the UP assembly elections (due in 2017). They are doing this drama to misguide people. The matter is sub-judice, the court will take a decision,” he said.

Nyas members, led by then VHP patron late Ashok Singhal, had met at Maniram Das Ki Chhavni in June this year.

Nyas members had decided to collect stones instead of cash donations from “Ram bhakts”. Nyas had issued a nationwide appeal to devotees to donate stones for the Ram temple.

Singhal passed away in November. At the condolence meet last month, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had said the Ram temple would be a fitting tribute to him. Das said earlier Singhal was supposed to lead the sadhus to the meeting with the PM. “Saints from across the country will meet in Prayag during Magh Mela next month, where they will pass a fresh resolution to seek an appointment from the PM,” said Das.
He added that the sadhus were hopeful the temple construction would begin during the Modi regime, and that the sadhus would apprise the Supreme Court during the trial that the masses were in favour of building a Ram temple at the disputed site.

Meanwhile, the state government on Monday sought a “confidential” report from the intelligence department on two stone-laden trucks arriving in Ayodhya. “The state government has sought a confidential report from additional director general (Intelligence) on the activities going on in Ayodhya,” IG (Law and Order) A Satish Ganesh said.