Nirvani Akhara chief sends legal notice to MHA; alleges Ayodhya Ram Temple Trust 'illegal'

In a new development, the head of Nirvani Akhara in Ayodhya, Mahant Dharam Das, on Thursday has sent a legal notice to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) alleging that the formation of Shri Ramjanmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is not as per the Supreme Court’s verdict. In the notice, Mahant Dharam Das has claimed that the present Ram Temple trust is "illegal, arbitrary" and threatened that he would take legal action if the Central government failed to do regulate the Trust within two months of receipt of the notice."

Mahant Das in his notice stated that the Trust “declined the value of Deity Ramlalla by not handing over the money received to the deity during the period when it was under the custody of receiver”, and “non-fulfilment of the direction of the Supreme Court with regard to the inclusion of the Trust’s property while setting up the Trust. He has also alleged that people who have a political approach with the government were given key roles in the Trust.

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PM Modi lays foundation stone

Fulfilling the three-decade-long Ram Janmabhoomi movement, PM Narendra Modi performed the Bhumi Pujan ceremony at the Lord Ram's birthplace in Ayodhya, placing a metallic plaque at the base of the temple site. A week after PM Modi laid the foundation for the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi, Trust informed that construction has commenced. Taking to Twitter, trust's general secretary Champat Rai urged people to donate generously for building the temple. Details of the trust's online bank details are available on its official Twitter handle. L&T which has been chosen to construct the two-storeyed temple has been soil sampling. The temple comprising of Sompura Marbles will - span 161ft in length, 140ft in width, and 128 ft in height, and have of 5 domes. The trust has estimated that construction of the temple will be completed in 3-3.5 years i.e by 2023. 

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The Ayodhya verdict 

The Constitution Bench of the SC in its verdict on November 9, 2019, awarded the entire disputed area in Ayodhya to the Hindu parties, after a 40-day marathon hearing. It directed the Centre to formulate a scheme within three months which will be responsible for building a temple. On the other hand, the SC ordered that an alternative land of 5 acres in Ayodhya would be given to the Sunni Central Waqf Board for the construction of a mosque. 

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