Lucknow: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday termed the proposed consecration of the newly constructed Ram Temple in Ayodhya a ‘’historical moment’’ and said that he too, like the world, was waiting for it even as he appealed to the people to visit the temple town after January 22, the day of the consecration ceremony.
Modi, who arrived in Ayodhya on Saturday on a day long visit, held road show from the newly-built Maharshi Valmiki Airport in Ayodhya, and also unveiled developmental schemes worth over Rs 15 thousand crore for the temple town.
‘’The entire world is waiting for the historical moment (Jan 22)…..I too am equally excited,’’ Modi said while addressing the people on this occasion.
The prime minister also inaugurated the Ayodhya international airport, which was named after Maharishi Valmiki, the Dalit saint who had authored the epic ‘Ramayana’ and the renovated Ayodhya Dham railway station.
He asked the people to launch a cleanliness drive at all the temples in the country from Makar Sankranti Day on January 14 to January 22 and light ‘Ram Jyoti’ at their homes and celebrate Diwali.
Modi also appealed to the people to visit Ayodhya after January 22 saying that they had waited for the Ram Temple for more than five hundred years and that they could wait a little longer. ‘’Every countryman wants to come to Ayodhya on January 22 but only a few people will be visiting the town on that day....it is not possible for everyone to come to Ayodhya on that day….the Ram Temple will be there forever…so come after January 23,’’ he added.
Listing the achievements of his government, Modi said that the countries which wanted to develop would also have to preserve their heritage. ‘’Our heritage inspires us and shows us the right path,’’ he added.
Modi said that Ram Lala was in a tent earlier but now he had got a pucca house. ‘’Like Ram Lala crores of poor in the country have also got pucca houses,’’ he said.
The prime minister, who also flagged off Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat trains at Ayodhya Dham railway station, visited a dalit hamlet and met the family of an Ujjwala scheme beneficiary. He interacted with the family members of Dhaniram Majhi and also had tea there. He also invited the family to the consecration ceremony.
Earlier during his 15 kilometre long road show, Modi was showered with flower petals by the people who had lined on the road. The women were also seen performing ‘arti’ during the show.
Modi ‘s visit to Ayodhya comes barely days before the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple.
The first flight from Delhi also landed at the Ayodhya International airport on Saturday. According to a report, some passengers in the flight also recited Hanuman Chalisa (hymns praising Lord Hanumana).