Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 31 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for building the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple and Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha, while taking a veiled jibe at the Opposition and alleging appeasement politics.
Addressing the public meeting on the occasion of Pratishtha Dwadashi and the second anniversary of Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha, CM Yogi alleged that the opposition parties turned Ayodhya into a land of "unrest and conflict".
He said, "In Independent India, Ayodhya has witnessed several stages of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Ayodhya's name tells that no war has been fought here, which means no enemy could stand its ground in front of its courage. But some people, driven by greed, religious fanaticism and appeasement, made Ayodhya a place of unrest and conflict."
He recalled the foundation laying ceremony, Pran Pratishtha and the flag hoisting at the temple and said, "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ayodhya cannot forget three moments. August 5, 2020, when for the first time India's Prime Minister arrived in Ayodhya and laid the foundation for the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. On January 22, 2024, the Prime Minister completed the pran pratishtha of the Ram Lalla's idol. The third was November 25, the Prime Minister hoisted the saffron flag atop."
In November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat ceremonially hoisted the saffron flag atop the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple's 191-foot-high shikhar in Ayodhya, symbolising the completion of the temple's construction.
Meanwhile, CM Yogi also thanked Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was also present at the occasion, for his contributions to the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
"The Defence Minister has played a prominent role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, and today, after 500 years, he is overwhelmed by looking at the temple and is experiencing a feeling of joy and pride. I saw him getting emotional as he was hoisting the flag at Mata Annapurna temple on the occassion of Pratishtha Dwadashi," the CM said.
Earlier, on the second day of the Pratishtha Dwadashi Patotsav celebrations, various rituals were performed as part of the Yajna ceremonies at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir. These included Tattva Kalash, Tattva Homa, Manyu Sukta Homa, Ram Taraka Mantra Homa, and other sacred rites.
The Ram Lalla idol was unveiled on January 22, 2024, at the 'Pran Pratishtha ceremony', which involved hour-long rituals in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who led the ceremony.