Hope new trust will build Ram temple on VHP model: Kokje

On a day the Union Cabinet approved the formation of a trust to construct a Ram temple in Ayodhya, VHP international president Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje on Wednesday hoped that it would be built on the model proposed by the Hindu body earlier. The announcement on setting up autonomous "Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra", as directed by the Supreme Court in its landmark verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case in November last year, was made in the Lok Sabha by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"We expect that the newly-formed trust will build a grand temple on Ram Janmabhoomi as per the model prepared earlier by the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas," Kokje told PTI over the phone.

He said many pillars for the proposed temple had been prepared as per the VHP model and stones being carved since the last three decades.

"Sentiments of thousands of saints and lakhs of Hindus are associated with this popular model of Ram temple which was displayed on several occasions," Kokje added.

Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas was established on December 18, 1985 with the objective to construct a grand temple of Lord Ram at the site in Ayodhya. The VHP started carving stones for the temple in the year 1990 in its workshop. While making announcement about the trust, the prime minister also said the government has decided to transfer 67.70 acres of land acquired under the Ayodhya Act to the trust.