‘Uninvited’ Advani, Joshi likely to attend ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ through video conferencing

LUCKNOW: Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has allegedly not sent Bhoomi Pujan invites to BJP veterans LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi. Both the saffron stalwarts, who played a crucial role in the temple movement, are unlikely to be physically present in the ceremony in the temple town.

However, as per the highly-placed trust sources, both BJP veterans would join the ceremony through video conferencing. There are chances of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attending the event. The administration has prepared a list of top 10 leaders of the BJP who will be attending the event through video conferencing owing to their age factor and ongoing COIVD-19 crisis.

It may be noted that both Advani and Joshi had recently attended the hearing in Babri Masjid demolition in a special CBI court in Lucknow through video conferencing. Both the leaders had pleaded for an exemption from physical appearance in the court owing to their medical condition, age factor and the pandemic.

Moreover, the sources claimed that the list of invitees did not comprise any industrialist or high-profile NRI guest, as was reported by a section of media. Other prominent faces of the temple movement such as Uma Bharti and Kalyan Singh had received the invite and they have confirmed their presence in the
temple town on August 5. Even the family of Kothari brothers, who were killed in the firing on kar sewaks in 1990 under Mulayam Singh Yadav’s regime, have also been invited to attend the ceremony.

Besides, PM Modi and CM Yogi, other dignitaries on the dais would be RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, VHP vice-president, and temple trust general secretary Champat Rai and Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas head Mahant Nritya Gopal Das.

The rituals for the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony would start at 8 am and culminate with PM laying the silver bricks as the foundation of the temple at 12:15 pm followed by his address.

The ceremony would be aired live and big LED screens would be put up across the temple town.

The PM will land in Lucknow by his IAF special plane and take off from the Chaudhary Charan Singh airport for Ayodhya by an IAF MI 7 chopper. He is likely to offer prayer at Hanuman Garhi temple before visiting the Bhoomi Pujan site. The PM will then plant a Parijat sapling and perform the 'Bhoomi Pujan.'

The Prime Minister then would take the stage where he would release the postal stamp on the life of Lord Ram, according to highly placed sources. The CM would accompany the PM after receiving him in Lucknow and would gift him a wooden statue of Lord Ram and a Kodand (Bow of Lord Ram) after the latter's speech to conclude.

(THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS)

1356 Days ago