Ayodhya Ram temple bhoomi pujan event to be low key due to COVID-19 pandemic: Sources

New Delhi: As Ayodhya gears up for the Bhoomi pujan of the Ram Temple, the number of guests invited for the event will be kept very low because of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Going back on the idea of inviting around 250 guests now only about 125 guests will be invited to the event, sources said.

Along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, prominent saints, some Sangh officials and other famous names associated with the Ayodhya Ram Temple movement will be present.

As reported earlier, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust clarified that there is no plan to invite Chief Ministers of all states to the event.

Though the trustees have confirmed names of veteran BJP leaders Lal Krishna Advani, Murali Manohar Joshi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat among those invited to the ceremony on August 5.

A member of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust Anil Mishra said that in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions of social distancing, there will be a limited gathering at the event.

The Trust's general secretary Champat Rai called it the most important event in the history of independent India and said it will be shown live on Doordarshan and other channels.

On November 9, 2019, the Supreme Court had paved the way for the construction of a Ram Temple by a trust at the disputed site in Ayodhya, and directed the Centre to allot an alternative 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a new mosque at a "prominent" place in the holy town in Uttar Pradesh.