New Delhi, Jan. 21: The Ram temple consecration ceremony at Ayodhya is scheduled to take place on Monday. The temple has been a long pending promise of Bhartiya Janta Party, built on the ruins of Babri Masjid, which was torn down by a mob of Hindu nationalists on December 6, 1992. The construction began after the Supreme Court on 9 November 2019 ordered the entire land to be allocated for the temple, granting amnesty to the perpetrators of the demolition of Babri Masjid.
With preparations for Ram Mandir celebrations in full swing, the entire country has become ‘Rammay’, with just few hours left for the consecration ceremony, overt displays of Hindu identity and increasing saffronisation of various places are at all-time high. Residents Welfare Associations and residents of various places themselves are busy decorating streets and organizing events to commemorate the consecration. Importantly, these celebrations come at a time when RWAs have been accused of ‘saffronisation’ – discriminating against Muslim tenants through unofficial rules.
The National Capital of Democratic and Secular India, New Delhi is seen covered up with saffron flags and colourful electric lights. BJP Chief of Delhi, Virendra Sachdeva said that large LED screens will be set up to attend the live broadcast of the inaugural ceremony at Ayodhya.
Adding on to it saffron flags are seen on every other auto rikshaws and shops of Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Dehradun, Noida, Bihar and Mumbai. The lightning of 21 thousand lamps at Sarojini Nagar Market, Chandni Chowk and Sadar Bazar are all set to dazzle with special decorations, accompanied by a shobha yatra. Furthermore, many social groups and societies have decided to organise and attend several religious events like Sundarkand Paath, Ramlila, Jagran, etc. in their localities. Apart from this, many schools even organised rallies today, raising religious slogans.
Also, the IIT Bombay administration is organising a series of events on campus related to the Ram temple ceremony in Uttar Pradesh. They have granted permission for “Shriram darbar shobha yatra” procession on January 21, with a poster displayed on campus itself. In response to these developments, the Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle, IIT Bombay, expressed concern, stating that the institute seems to be aligning with Hindutva political forces, compromising its commitment to secularism in the Indian Constitution.
On January 18, a statement from the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions said that all central government offices, institutions and industrial establishments throughout the country will remain closed for half day, till 2:30 pm, on January 22. “The Ram Lalla pran pratishtha at Ayodhya will be celebrated on January 22, 2024 across India. To enable employees to participate in the celebrations, it has been decided that all Central Government offices, central institutions and central industrial establishments throughout India will be closed for half day till 14:30 hours on January 22,” read the order.
