Yogi Adityanath sets agenda, prays at Ayodhya temple site

Ayodhya: The saffron in Ayodhya has acquired a deeper hue. The slogan “Ram Lalla hum aaye hain, Mandir yahin banayenge” rent the air in Ayodhya on Wednesday as Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath entered the holy city to offer prayers at various temples, including the makeshift Ram Janambhoomi temple. He became the first chief minister in 15 years to visit Ayodhya.

Amid unprecedented security, the CM began his tour with a visit to the Hanuman Garhi temple, the makeshift Ram Janambhoomi temple, Ram ki Pairi and then participated in the aarti at the Saryu river.

He announced beautification of the ghats at the Saryu river and said regular aarti must be held here on the pattern of the Ganga aarti in Varanasi. Yogi Adityanath also announced a “Saryu Mahotsav” in Ayodhya and renovation of the Ram Janki temple.

Yogi Adityanath’s Ayodhya visit has significance as it comes just a day after senior BJP leaders were charged with criminal conspiracy over the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition by a CBI special court.

“His visit gives us fresh hope for the Ram temple construction. Yogi Adityanath has been actively involved in the temple movement. His spiritual guru, Mahant Avaidyanth, was a pioneer of the temple movement. Knowing his nature, we are confident he will not give up on this issue so easily”, said Pandit Hemant Upadhyaya, a priest, after the CM’s visit to Hanuman Garhi.

Yogi Adityanath, at a function, said that a new atmosphere was being created in favour of the temple. “Some vested interests do not want the issue to be resolved. We should amicably settle the matter and build a temple”, he said.

His colleague, Pandit Sharad Tiwari, added: “He is the first chief minister to have dared to visit the Ram Lalla temple at the Ram Janmabhoomi spot and offer prayers, and that reflects his conviction.”

More than the religious agenda, it was the chief minister’s development agenda that seems to have enthused local people.

“Yogi Adityanath has decided to turn Ayodhya-Faizabad into a municipal corporation, which means development is finally going to take place. Despite being a world-famous pilgrimage spot, there are no basic civic amenities here. The drains and roads are broken, power supply is erratic and the district hospital has no facilities. Rail connectivity is poor and there is no air connectivity. We need to build a better infrastructure so that the tourist influx increases”, said Rupan Agarwal, a young engineer.

He said if tourist infrastructure comes up, the local economy would get a boost and migration from here would be checked. Even small businessmen are now migrating as every time there is talk about the temple, there is trouble and business gets adversely affected.

“We need security and development along with the temple rhetoric. Yogi Adityanath seems to understand this, that’s why we have high hopes from him”, said Shreela Chatterjee, who runs a boutique in Faizabad.

The chief minister reviewed development work at a meeting of senior officials in Faizabad and asked the officials to speed up work. He also met party workers and assured them of the twin towns’ development.

The CM later had lunch at the Digambar Akhara, where he met saints and seers. Mahant Gauri Ram said: “The chief minister already has a blueprint for the development of Ayodhya, and he would take steps needed to clear hurdles for temple construction.”

The chief minister also attended the Janamotsav function of Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and inspected an eye hospital before returning to Lucknow.