Yogi Adityanath govt likely to build 151-metre statue of Lord Ram in Ayodhya

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government is likely to begin planning the installation of a statue of Lord Ram on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya. Plans are afoot to install the world's tallest statue of Lord Ram , according to BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh.

Rishikesh Upadhyay, the mayor of Ayodhya Municipal Corporation, told PTI, "There is a proposal to install a 151-metre-tall statue of Lord Ram on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya...Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath may make an announcement on this on the occasion of Dev Deepawali."

"The place where the statue will be installed will be finalised after the soil is tested. The statue is likely to come up in the vicinity of Sant Tulsidas Ghat. Officials are looking at two-three sites, after which they will pick the best one," Upadhyay, a BJP leader, added.

According to a Hindustan Times report, UP government has already taken steps to decide on the architect and the design consultant for the ‘world’s tallest statue’ of Lord Ram.

Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan told ANI, "Why did this thought not occur at the time of building the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel? Why would anybody oppose (the building of Lord Ram's statue)? I would want an even taller statue of Lord Ram in Rampur."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently inaugurated an imposing 182-metre statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the country's first home minister, in Gujarat.

The Uttar Pradesh unit chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mahendra Nath Pandey, said, "Yogi Adityanath, in addition to being the chief minister, is the 'peethadheeswar' (head) of a prominent 'peeth' and sant. He must have made some plans pertaining to Ayodhya, which is a place of religious interest, pilgrimage and also the birthplace of Lord Ram."

"Let Diwali come and you will get good news," Pandey told reporters.

(With inputs from agencies)