UP CM Yogi Adityanath offers prayers at Ram Lalla shrine in Ayodhya

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aadityanath on Sunday offered prayers at Ram Lalla shrine and inspected the ongoing ground levelling work to build a grand temple at the Ram Janmbhoomi site here.

The chief minister arrived at Ayodhya after a night stay at Devipatan temple in Balrampur district, said officials. Adityanath on Saturday had visited Balrampur and Gonda to take stock of the law and order situation and work on some infrastructural projects in the two districts.

He took a chopper from Gonda police lines and landed at Ayodhya airport early in the morning, said officials. After reaching Ayodhya, the chief minister visited the district hospital and met the patients admitted there, they said. He also held a meeting with all MLAs and MP of various constituencies in Ayodhya district and the district administrative officials at the Circuit House here.

Later he reached the Ram Janmbhoomi site where he offered prayers to Ram Lalla and inspected the ground levelling work, which has been undertaken as a precursor to building a grand temple of Lord Ram.

In a unanimous verdict on November 9 last year, the Supreme Court had cleared the way for the construction of a Ram Temple at the Ram Janmbhoomi site in Ayodhya, while directing the Centre to allot a five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board to build a mosque.

Before visiting the Ram Janmbhoomi site, he chief minister also met Ram Mandir Trust president Nritya Gopal Das and other seers at Mani Ram Chawni temple, managed by Das. “The CM also discussed the present situation of coronavirus and the development works being done in Ayodhya," BJP MLA from Ayodhya, Ved Gupta told PTI.

“The also told us that we have won half the battle against coronavirus and remaining half too would be won soon,” he quoted Adityanath as saying.