Bengaluru, Aug 4: Police barricades, yellow banners, walls with a fresh coat of paint and the sounds of bhajan mark parts of Ayodhya as the city awaits its big day Wednesday, when the first brick will be laid for the Ram temple.
Ayodhya is decked up for the bhoomi pujan that will be attended at the Ram Janmabhoomi by 175 people, who figure in a select guest list of seers and politicians topped by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Concerned over the spread of coronavirus, the authorities are encouraging others not to come to the temple town, asking them to mark the occasion by celebrating at their homes. The groundbreaking ceremony will be telecast live.
Roads leading to Ayodhya display hoardings with the picture of the proposed Ram temple and of Ram Lalla, the infant Ram, the deity now housed in a makeshift temple.
Around the town’s Hanumangarhi area – named after a well-known temple which Modi will visit on Wednesday – both police sirens and ‘bhajans’ in praise of Ram are heard.
Most of the shops in the locality wear a new look, with their fronts painted in bright yellow. A large number of policemen were deployed there on Tuesday. Some sat in the sweet shops, waiting for their next instructions.
Roads leading into the area are barricaded. Yards of yellow cloth and marigold garlands were being hung on poles.
Even on the day before the event, security checks on vehicles heading to Ayodhya begin from adjoining Barabanki district itself on the Lucknow-Ayodhya road. Policemen take down details, including mobile numbers of the travellers.
Senior Superintendent of Police Deepak Kumar said the focus of the force is on maintaining the Covid-19 protocol.
“So we are not going to allow any outsider to enter Ayodhya city,” he said. Prohibitory orders are also in force and not more than four people will be allowed to gather.
“The markets and shops will remain open but with strict adherence to the Covid protocol,” he said. Outsiders will be stopped from entering the city, but Ayodhya residents will be allowed in if they produce any identification document.
“We are also carrying out random checks on people living in Ayodhya to ensure that no outsiders are staying here,” he said.
The city’s temples and mosques will remain open, but no other religious event – except for the bhoomi pujan – will take place on Wednesday.
Pickets have been set up at sensitive points in the city.
Sub-inspector Ram Chandra Yadav and constables Avnish Kumar and Ankit Chaudhary man the Terhi Bazar Chauraha picket near the Ram Janmabhoomi site.
"We are here for the past some days, and were on duty on the Rakshabandhan day. Duty comes first and only after that come other things in life, like festivals," Yadav said.
Mayank Gupta, who runs a restaurant, was handing out food packets to policemen, his customers.
"For the last two months, I have been providing tiffin to them twice a day. There are around 100 policemen to whom I supply tiffin," Gupta said.
Comments
This attack on Karnataka by BJP. Why did not they raid houses of BJP leaders who have become rich after BJP came to power. Reddy brothers are roaming freely and had lavesh wedding of their daughter. IT department are sleeping
Timing is good!!. Each one repeats same in cycle and then they may stop doing corruption. But Indian political population is a strange one and may start bribing each other! Congress also did all kind of tactics! Timing of investigation of corrupt DMK - daughter!
How can congress explain recovery of 10.5 crores cash from the minister's residence?Is it not embarrassing for congress leaders who called the raid witch - hunt?
What does BJP say about corruption of their own leaders. How many raids were given on the corrupt leaders of BJP. There are not hundred but thousand cases of corruption of BJP leaders. Recently in Chhatishgarh, one minister Brijmohan Aggarwal has encroached the government land. A few days ago Chief of Kerala BJP was caught for taking bribe of Rs 6 crores. After demonetization maximum black money was recovered from these BJP leaders. Before demonetization, dubious land deals were executed with their black money as they know fully that demonetization was to be declared by their party.. Black money was recovered from the BJP leader in Punjab as well from Madhya Pradesh leader. Who is funding Amit Shah who is roaming using chartered planes from one place t0 another place. What were the sources of funds during elections either for the Centre or for the states. Admitted Congress is corrupt but BJP is the most corrupt party in India.Wherefrom they got 15 crores to purchase MLAs.
All corrupt politicians are the feathers of the same bird. All are corrupt whether in the ruling party or in the opposition. Some of them are pro industrial and getting unaccountable money to be spent on their rival parties to let down. If any leader is corrupt and facing trial in the court, they either try to purchase the sitting judges or transfer them on the name of promotion. These tactics have been used by Modi Government in Gujarat to have clean chits in Godhara riots.The enquiry commission was appointed to enquire about who were behind the killings of innocent Sikhs, one Mishra was purchased by the Congress party and he was taken in Rajya Sabha.These commission heads are corrupt and working as per directions of the ruling party. How one can get justice. In India justice is denied to poor, downtrodden and minorities. These political parties have cleverly expert to change the facts into lies. They are expert to purchase and threaten others who are disagreed with them
How can there be black money? Demonetisation was supposed to eradicate it.
He's questioning the time, he's not questioning all that money that's been
seized!
"Mr. Shivakumar's mother hit out at Mr. Siddaramaiah accusing him of not
protecting her son."... ideal mother
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