Indian Premier Modi to open Hindu temple on razed Babri mosque site
Indian Premier Narendra Modi is due to inaugurate a grand temple to the Hindu god Ram in the city of Ayodhya, replacing a 16th-century mosque that was demolished by Hindu mobs in 1992, triggering nationwide riots resulting in nearly 2,000 casualties.
This long-awaited temple fulfills a longstanding promise by Hindu nationalists to construct a shrine for Lord Ram in the historically contentious city. However, some Hindu seers and a majority of the opposition are boycotting the event, alleging that Modi is exploiting it for political advantages.
The belief among many Hindus is that Ayodhya is the birthplace of Ram, and the Babri mosque was constructed by Muslim invaders on the ruins of a Ram temple, precisely where the Hindu god was believed to have been born.
The movement to build a temple at this disputed site played a pivotal role in propelling the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) into political prominence in the 1990s.
The new temple, erected at a cost of 217 million US dollar, is a three-story structure crafted from pink sandstone and supported by black granite, covering 7.2 acres within a 70-acre complex.
Modi is scheduled to inaugurate the ground floor of the temple, with the remaining portions anticipated to be completed by year-end. Ayodhya is witnessing a significant influx of visitors, with thousands of policemen deployed to ensure security and manage traffic on the roads leading to the new temple.
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