Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of Ram Temple on August 5 at 12:30 pm. The schedule was finalised after suggestions from astrologers, reported TOI on Saturday.
Soil from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters in Nagpur has been sent to Ayodhya for the 'bhoomi pujan' ceremony, VHP's Govind Shende said on Friday.
Talking to PTI, he said that soil from a temple in Ramtek and water from the confluence of five rivers, both near Nagpur city, have also been sent for the upcoming event.
"Earlier, it was decided that soil and water from different places in the country, including the religious places, would be collected and people in thousands would go for the bhoomi pujan of Ram temple in March. However, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it could not happen," he said.
"Now, as August 5 was suddenly fixed as the bhoomi pujan date, we decided to gather the soil and water from the places that we could visit and send it to Ayodhya," he added.
"The intention is that we will feel that we have also taken part in the bhoomi pujan ceremony," he said.
On Friday, the Allahabad High Court dismissed RTI activist Saket Gokhale's plea to restrain Ram Mandir's Bhoomi Pujan. In his plea, Gokhale had said that 300 people have been invited on August 5 for the event and that may cause violation of the social distancing regulations to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, reported Bar and Bench.
However, Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh dismissed the plea and said that they expect the organisers of the event to ensure social and physical distancing norms are followed.
The court observed, "The entire petition for writ is based on assumptions and there is no foundation for apprehending violation of the prescribed protocol. At present, we expect the organizers and the Government of Uttar Pradesh would ensure all the protocol applicable for social and physical distancing. In view of whatever stated above, we do not find any just reason to interfere in the matter. The writ petition hence is dismissed."
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Kshetra Trust's Treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri had earlier said that social distancing norms will be ensured at the programme, with not more than 200 people attending the ceremony.
(With PTI inputs)
