Ahmedabad: Kin of 19 'karsevaks' among 59 who lost their lives in the 2002 Godhra train burning incident in Gujarat will attend the Lord Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, a VHP office-bearer said on Saturday.
The other invitees from Gujarat include 320 saints and 105 prominent members of society, he said.
"The invitees include kin of the karsevaks who were killed when two coaches of Sabarmati Express train on which they were returning to Ahmedabad from Ayodhya were set on fire by miscreants near Godhra railway station," said Vishwa Hindu Parishad general secretary for Gujarat, Ashok Raval.
He said VHP could contact family members of 20 of 39 karsevaks (religious volunteers) whose contact details were available.
"Among them, 19 have confirmed to attend the ceremony in Ayodhya (on January 22)," he added.
Raval claimed the VHP had collected and contributed Rs 225 crore for the construction of Ram temple.
The death of 59 'karsevaks' in the train burning incident in February 2002 triggered the worst communal riots in the history of Gujarat in which over 1,000 people were killed.
Published 20 January 2024, 17:02 IST