Whole world waiting for Ram temple consecration ceremony on Jan 22: PM Modi

PM Modi flags off Amrit Bharat and Bande Bharat trains in Ayodhya

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the whole world is waiting for the historic Ram temple consecration ceremony here on January 22, but appealed to people not to come to the city for the event.

He said some people have been invited and they should come to the temple town to witness the historic day. He was addressing a public meeting after inaugurating a renovated railway station and an airport in the city. He said the strength of ”vikas” (development) and ”virasat” (heritage) will take the country forward.

The PM urged all citizens to light diyas in their houses on January 22 so that the whole country basks in glory. He urged people to launch cleanliness drive at pilgrimage sites and temples across the country from January 14 and January 22.

There was a time Lord Ram was ”living under a tent”, but now he will get a concrete house like four crore poor who got pucca houses, he said. He also said the Ujjwala Yojana has transformed the lives of crores of mothers and sisters.

He said only 14 crore gas connections were given in five decades, but his government gave 18 crore, including 10 crore free of cost under the Ujjawala Scheme, in a decade.