Breaking News: 15-member Ayodhya Ram Temple trust announced: Sources

The body, to be called Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra trust, have been formed as per the directions of the Supreme Court, pointed out the Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha.

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced the setting up of an independent trust to finalise the details for the construction of a Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, sources asserted that the trust will comprise a total of 15 members-- 9 permanent and 6 nominated members. The body, to be called Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra trust, has been formed as per the directions of the Supreme Court, pointed out the Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha.

According to sources, K Parasaran is the first member of the trust and Ayodhya District Magistrate (DM) Anuj Kumar Jha has been named the convening member. The seven other permanent members are--Shankaracharya Vasudevanand Maharaj, Parmanand Jimaharaja Haridwar, Swami Govindgiri Ji Pune, Vimalendra Mohan Pratap Mishra, Dr Anil Mishra Homeopathic Ayodhya, Dr Kamaleshwar Chaupal Patna, and Mahant Dhinedra Das Nirmohi Akhara. The six nominated members will be selected by the board of the trust.

What will be the functioning of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra Trust?

1. Construction of a grand temple of Lord Shri Ram in Ayodhya
2. Removing all obstacles in temple construction
3. Construction of parking around Ram temple complex, ensuring all facilities for devotees
4. To make a designated area for circumambulation
5. Construction of granary, cowshed, exhibition, museum, an ashram in Ram temple complex.

How will the work get divided in trust:

1. Chairman or Director-General: All meetings of the trust shall be held in the presence of the Chairman.
2. General Secretary: The officers of the trust will choose the general secretary from among themselves, they will have the right to call all the meetings. Also the responsibility of handling the full record of the trust.
3. Treasurer: The members of the trust will select the treasurer from among themselves, who will prepare the details of all income expenditure, expenses and funds.

The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra trust will take all decisions for the construction of a massive and grand Ram Temple on the birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya, added PM Modi. The decision to form the trust was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister on Wednesday.

The 67.703 acres of land along with the inside and outside courtyard will be transferred to the Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra for the construction of the Ram Temple.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a notification announcing that the office of the trust will be in New Delhi.  As per the home ministry, the trust's registered office is at R-20, Greater Kailash Part-1, New Delhi.

Referring to the Supreme Court order on the Ayodhya case on November 9, 2019, PM Modi said the judgement was in favour of Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the decision to form the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra trust. According to the Supreme Court order, the Sunni Waqf Board will be given 5 acres of land in Ayodhya, announced the Prime Minister.

"On November 9, 2019, I was in Punjab for Kartarpur Sahib Corridor's inauguration. During the inauguration ceremony, the Supreme Court judgement on Ayodhya was delivered and I got to know about the historic decision. Uttar Pradesh government has already given its approval for giving 5 acres of land to the Sunni Waqf Board," he said.

Announcing another major decision taken by the Union Cabinet, he declared the government will also develop the area around the proposed Ram Temple in Ayodhya as a major pilgrimage and tourist attraction.

In a related development, the Uttar Pradesh government also issued a notification saying the government has already issued an allotment letter of a five-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board, as ordered by the Supreme Court in its November 8, 2019 verdict on the Babri Masjid-Ram Mandir dispute.

Uttar Pradesh government spokesperson Shrikant Sharma told the media that five-acre plot for the mosque is in Dhannipur village on the Lucknow highway, about 18 kilometres from Ayodhya.