In a major development on Saturday, as the Akhil Bhartiya Sant Samiti's Dharmadesh was being held in Delhi to formulate strategies on the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Ram Janambhoomi Nyas president Ram Vilas Vedanti announced that the temple construction will begin from December 2018. He also said that a masjid will be constructed in Lucknow.
Dharmadesh, a two-day conference, was organised by the Akhil Bhartiya Sant Samiti to formulate strategies on the construction of the Ram Temple. Over 3,000 saints assembled at the venue - Talkatora Stadium in Delhi on Saturday morning.
"Without an ordinance and on the basis of mutual agreement, Ram temple will be constructed in Ayodhya and a masjid will be constructed in Lucknow," Vedanti was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Scores of seers representing 127 Hindu organisations, Shankaracharyas and top Hindu saints, including the firebrand Sadhiv Rithambara took part in Saturday's 'Dharmadesh' meeting. Earlier, Rithambara had sparked off controversies while protesting during the 1992 mass movement over Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri masjid issue.
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The 'Dharmadesh' meeting came a day after the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Friday threatened to launch a 1992-like temple agitation to ensure the construction of Ram Temple at the disputed land of Ayodhya.
Briefing the media at the two-day long 'Dharmadesh' meeting, Akhil Bhartiya Sant Samiti General secretary Swami Jitendra Saraswati said, "The Supreme Court upsets the saints, after this no one can predict what decision they take; but one is for sure, some big decision will for sure be taken".
“The two-day long meeting will have three sessions. The first session will be of paying homage, where the karsevaks who died due to gunshots during ram mandir protest in Ayodhya will be remembered. Besides this, the cow vigilantes who died in front of the parliament in 1996 will also be paid tribute.” RSS General Secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi said.
Read | Ayodhya Dispute: Will launch 1992-like agitation to ensure construction of Ram Temple, says RSS
Joshi further said, "in the second session, the missionaries who have been following different ways for conversion will put forth their points and proposal will be kept against Ponga babas in this session".
"Third session will take place on November 4, where big saints like Sri Sri will give their viewpoint on Sabarimala and Ram Mandir issue. The same will be done keeping in mind the emotions of the saints" he added.
Amid this raging controversy, the Uttar Pradesh government is gearing up to build a 100-metre long statue of Lord Rama in Ayodhya. Speculations had been rife that Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath will lay the foundation stone of the statue on the banks of river Saryu.
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Speaking on the construction of Lord Rama statue, UP Deputy CM Kesav Prasad Maurya said, "Ram temple matter is sub-judice before SC, we can't do anything about it, but no one is stopping us from erecting a grand statue of 'Ram Lalla' in Ayodhya. If someone stops us we'll see...No one can stop us from developing Ayodhya".
The Supreme Court in its October 29 hearing posted the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case for further hearing in January 2019, adding that it had its "own priorities" and called for an ordinance route if all other options run out.
Read | Ayodhya: RSS releases HUGE statement on Ram Temple
A three-judge bench, headed by the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi is dealing with a clutch of petitions filed against the Allahabad High Court's 2010 verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case.
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