'Dharma Sabha' at Ayodhya: VHP leader claims Narendra Modi will decide on Ram Mandir after 11 Dec, quotes 'senior minister'

Ayodhya: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Rambhadracharya on Sunday claimed a high-level meeting will be held after 11 December, at which a decision will be made about the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take a final call about the construction of Ram temple after 11 December,” he said while addressing the Dharma Sabha organised by the VHP. VHP leader said: “On 23 November, I spoke to a senior minister in the central government. He has asked me not to disclose his name. So I can’t reveal that. I asked him till when should we wait for the Ram Mandir, to which he said that there would be a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue after 11 December. He further told me that during that meeting, a decision will be made, which will lead to the construction of Ram temple.” The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), VHP and Shiv Sena on Sunday organised events in Ayodhya, Nagpur and Bengaluru to muster support for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and mount pressure on the central government to facilitate the temple construction, which is currently sub judice in the Supreme Court. [caption id=“attachment_4499371” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of VHP activists. AFP[/caption] The Uttar Pradesh Police have heavily deployed security personnel along with a legion of senior officers to monitor the law and order situation in Ayodhya. The team includes one ADGP, one DIG, three SSPs, ten ASPs, 21 DSPs, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, and 42 companies of PAC, five companies of the RAF, ATS commandos and drone cameras. On 29 October, the Supreme Court had adjourned the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit till January 2019 to fix the next date of hearing in the matter, challenging the Allahabad High Court ruling of 2010. The Allahabad High Court in its 2010 verdict had suggested the division of the disputed land in Ayodhya, one for each of the parties the Nirmohi Akhara, the Sunni Waqf Board and Ram Lalla. The Babri Masjid, which was constructed by Mughal emperor Babur in Ayodhya in 1528, was demolished by Hindu activists on 6 December, 1992, who claimed that the mosque was built after demolishing a Ram temple that stood there.