Advani, Joshi may attend Jan 22 Ram temple ceremony after VHP’s invite (updating)
PrashantNews
BJP veterans LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi who spearheaded a movement for building Ram temple in Ayodhya were on Tuesday formally invited by VHP for the Jan 22 consecration ceremony but a final word from them was still awaited.
Earlier in the day, the Ram temple trust said the two leaders are unlikely to attend the consecration ceremony due to their health and age. But a section of top BJP leaders immediately said the two father-figures of the party should attend the ceremony.
Both are elders of the family and considering their age, they were requested not to come, which was accepted by both, Ram Temple Trust general secretary Champat Rai was quoted as saying by TV channels.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be among top Indian leaders who will attend the ceremony. BJP came to power in 1990s mainly due to the Ram temple movement. But in the first stint of its rule under A B Vajpayee, the temple issue was put on the back burner. But after Narendra Modi government was formed in 2014, a Supreme Court’s historic verdict clears all obstacles in the way of building a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The puja for “pranpratishta” ceremony will begin on Jan 16 and continue till Jan 22, the main ceremony day.
A section of BJP leaders are of the view that both Advani and Joshi should attend the ceremony. “Both Advani and Joshi are our top leaders and the main architect of the Ram temple movement. I think they should attend the ceremony,” said top BJP leader.
In a statement posted on the X (formerly Twitter), VHP said its president Alok Kumar met the two leaders on Tuesday and invited them to attend the consecration ceremony.
However, it was not yet clear whether the two leaders would attend the ceremony or not. Ends