PM Modi Says 15-Member Ram Mandir Trust to be Formed Before 9 Feb

The historic Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid title dispute case verdict was announced on Saturday, 9 November.

(Photo: The Quint)

Paving way for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, 5 February, announced the Union Cabinet’s decision to set up a trust – ‘Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Shetra’ – for the same.

This was Modi’s first address in the Lok Sabha on the Ram Temple. The committee will have 15 members, according to Home Minister Amit Shah.

“We have readied a scheme for the development of Ram Temple in Ayodhya. A trust has been formed, it is called 'Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Shetra',” the prime minister said while addressing Parliament during the Budget Session.

“I am pleased to announce that a significant decision has been taken to follow the directives of the Supreme Court. As per the directions of the Supreme Court, the Cabinet has prepared a detailed plan for the construction of Ram Temple at Ayodhya. As per the direction of the top court, a proposal for a Shri Ram JanmBhoomi Teerth Shetra has been passed by the Cabinet,” Modi said.

Citing the government’s pitch for ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas,’ PM Modi said that development for all is his government’s priority.

“In India, be they Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Parsi or Jain, everyone is a part of one family. Development must take place for every member of the family. Our government is moving forward with 'Sabka Satah Saabka Vikas' policy so that everyone is happy,” he said.

The Supreme Court in a historic verdict on 9 November last year had backed the construction of the Ram Temple by a government trust at the site, and ruled that an alternative five-acre plot must be found for a mosque in the Hindu holy town.

A five-judge bench, headed by the then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, had in a unanimous verdict decreed the entire 2.77 acre disputed land in favour of deity 'Ram Lalla' and directed the Centre to allot a five-acre plot to Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque in Ayodhya.

The court had ordered the disputed land will be handed over to a trust, which will also have representation from the Nirmohi Akhara, the apex court said.

After the verdict, PM Modi had taken to Twitter and said that the verdict should not be seen as anybody’s win or loss.

The court on 12 December had dismissed a batch of 19 review pleas filed by Muslim and Hindu parties after finding no ground to entertain them.

(With inputs from PTI)

Shah, Yogi Hail Announcement

Several BJP ministers and leaders welcomed the prime minister’s announcement.

Home Minister Amit Shah took to Twitter to to congratulate PM Modi and also announced that the 15-member committee will include one person from the Dalit community.

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath also took to Twitter to thank PM Modi.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that the Sunni Waqf board should not have accepted the land in the first place.

"As far as the issue of Sunni Waqf Board accepting the land is concerned, it is a wrong decision on their part," he told CNN-News18.

"As far as the trust is concerbned, I had said when the judgment came that the Supreme Court is supreme but not unchallengable," he added.