Ahead of the ground-breaking ceremony for Ram Mandir scheduled to be held on August 5, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has claimed that Ayodhya had a Buddha Vihar before Ram Mandir and Babri Masjid.
Athawale, Republican Party of India (A) chief, has demanded that a grand museum and Mahabuddha Vihar should be set up in Ayodhya to preserve the ancient Buddhist relics found in the excavations.
Several Dalit outfits have come forward to press their demand on the issue. Recently, renowned singer Anand Shinde also appealed for the same. “Ancient relics found in Ayodhya prove that this place was the site of Buddha Vihar. There is also strong evidence to support the claim,” Athawale said.
Athawale said that he has been demanding to built Buddha Vihar (or Buddha’s Saket Nagri) in Ayodhya for decades. “We respect and agree with the Supreme court’s decision which has settled the dispute over Ram Janmbhoomi and Babri Masjid. It is true that there was a Ram temple before the construction of Babri Masjid. But it is also true that there was a Buddha Vihar in Ayodhya,” he added.
The RPI chief said that he will personally meet Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to demand land for construction Buddha Vihar in Ayodhya. “If the land is not available, we will set up a trust to buy 30 acres of land. I will go to Ayodhya after the Ram Mandir ‘bhoomi pujan’,” he informed.
The ground-breaking ceremony for Ram Mandir is scheduled to be held on August 5 in Ayodhya and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also been invited by the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust to lay the foundation stone for Ram temple construction.
Many prominent Hindutva leaders have been invited for the ground-breaking ceremony which is expected to be held with a limited number of invitees in Ayodhya.
BJP MLA Tells Gandpati Mandals To Seek Permission From BMC For Setting Up 'Mandaps'
Govt Must Formulate Policy To Provide Employment For Marathi Youth: Raj Thackeray
Time For "Bhoomi Pujan" Of Ram Mandir Not Right: MNS Chief Raj Thackeray
Share
Tweet
