Ayodhya verdict: Centre in full swing to form trust for Ram temple construction, Hindu parties vie for membership

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The Centre has set the ball rolling to form a trust for the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, according to a report in Hindustan Times.

The Supreme Court, in a historic judgment delivered on November 9, awarded the disputed land in Ayodhya to Ram Lalla Virajman, while directing the Centre to form a trust to oversee the construction of the temple. The top court had also awarded a plot of five acres to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque.

An official told the newspaper that the judgment delivered by the five-judge bench, headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi, is being studied by government law officers. “Opinions of the Ministry of Law and the Attorney General will be taken on how to proceed on setting up the trust that will fix the modalities for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya,” he said.

The official added that a team is studying the verdict for its technicalities and nuances so that the trust can be constituted exactly as directed by the top court.

Meanwhile, the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas (RJN), which was a leading light in the Mandir movement in the 1990s, wants Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to head the trust.

RJN chief Mahant Nritya Gopal Das told the newspaper, “Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath could head the trust in his capacity as a mahant of the Gorakhnath temple, and not as the CM.”

Adityanath, besides being the chief minister, is also mahant (head priest) of the prestigious Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur, and heads the Goraksha Peeth. His mentor, Mahant Avaidyanath, was closely associated with the temple movement.

However, a report by The Indian Express points out that Nritya Gopal Das said there is no need to form a new trust because Nyas is a trust which was constituted for the construction of the Ram temple, adding that others like Nirmohi Akhara can join it to complete the task.

While questioning the need to form a new trust, Das told the newspaper, “Kis liye banayenge, kaun banayega aur kaun usmein rahega? Kya jaroorat hai? (Why should it be formed? Who will form it? Who will be its members? What is the need?)”

Disagreeing with Das, the Nirmohi Akhara said Nyas should surrender their trust and join the Akhara. The Supreme Court had directed the Centre to give the Akhara an “appropriate role in the management” while forming the trust.

Similarly, the Digambar Akhara, a prominent Akhara in Ayodhya, which used to be headed by Paramhans Ramchandra Das, told the publication that they will meet Yogi Adityanath to discuss the issue. It maintained that no existing trust should be given the responsibility to construct the temple.