Stepping up its offensive on the Ram temple issue, the VHP asked its cadres and 'Ram Bhakts' to converge in lakhs at Ayodhya from February 23, ahead of its plan to begin the construction of the shrine at the disputed site on any day after March 12. "We have decided to ask the people to reach Ayodhya from February 23 evening itself for the 'Purnahuti' programme beginning on February 24," VHP Senior Vice-President Acharya Giriraj Kishore said after a meeting of the outfit's Board of Trustees.

During the month-long 'purnahuti' programme, 20,000 people would converge daily on Ayodhya for 100 days during which the construction would begin, he said.
The 'purnahuti' programme marks the culmination of the VHP's earlier programme the 'Ram nam jap yagya' (uninterrupted chanting of Lord Ram's name).
Ruling out any further initiative for talks either with the Government or Muslim organisations, Kishore said, "if they have any solution, let them come forward. There will not be any more initiative from our side."
He, however, expressed hope that the Government would be able to remove the obstacles in the path of the temple construction by March 12. Bureau Report