Ram Temple construction: PM Modi announces formation of trust based on SC verdict

Narendra Modi, Prime minister of India | Though almost all of India’s Prime Ministers have come from the nearly 80% of the population that is Hindu, only Modi has governed as if no one else matters,” writes Karl Vick, Time editor. (Image: Reuters)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on February 5, informed Parliament that the Cabinet had approved setting up of a trust to construct a Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh as per the Supreme Court of India (SC)’s November 9, 2019 verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, PM Modi announced that the trust would be called the ‘Sri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra’ and will be responsible for the temple’s construction in Ayodhya.

The prime minister said that the trust would be independent and had been approved by the Uttar Pradesh state government too.

On November 9, the Supreme Court of India (SC) - in a historic judgment - awarded the disputed land in Ayodhya to Ram Lalla Virajman and directed the Centre to form a trust within three months to oversee the construction of the temple.

The top court said that a five-acre plot would be awarded to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque.

PM Modi said that the trust would be handed over 67 hectares of land in Ayodhya.

“After the verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi issue came out, people of India displayed remarkable faith in democratic processes and procedures. I salute the 130 crore people of India,” PM Modi said.

Union Home Minister later announced via Twitter that the trust will have 15 trustees, including one from the Dalit community.