India's ruling BJP adds Ram temple illustration on social media profiles ahead of inauguration

Ahead of the highly-anticipated inauguration of the Ram Mandir (temple) in Ayodhya, situated in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) has added an illustration depicting the temple on its social media handles.

The header of BJP's X (formerly known as Twitter) account depicts an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President JP Naddawith Ram Mandir in the backdrop and the inauguration date of January 22, 2024, written in Hindi.

Speaking about the illustration, BJP's information technology cell head Amit Malviya said the change was in keeping with the recent trend followed during the G20 Summit.

“In the run-up to the G20 Summit held in New Delhi, we used images connected to that event, and now with the inauguration of the Ram Temple imminent, we have made this change,” Malviya was quoted as saying by The Hindu.

There has been a heightened anticipation amongst the devotees to visit the temple, central to the faith of Hindus. It is believed that Lord Ram was born in Ayodhya and that a temple lay on the spot before it was razed by Mughal ruler Aurangzeb to build the Babri mosque.

Ram temple consecration ceremony

After years of court cases and several controversies, the Indian Supreme Court in 2019, granted the land to the Hindu side to build the temple. PM Modi laid the foundation stone (Bhumi puja) in August 2020 and over three years later, he will be there to attend the consecration ceremony on January 22.

Champat Rai, general secretary of the Sri Ram Janmbhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust, under whose aegis the temple is being constructed, had met PM Modi in October and confirmed that a Lord Ram idol will be installed in the sanctum sanctorum with the BJP leader attending the ceremony.

Earlier this week,an official from the Teerth Kshetra Trust said they had received over 3,000 applications for 20 priests' posts. Till the last update, 200 people had been selected for the interview which is scheduled to be held at Karsevak Puram, the headquarters of Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Ayodhya.

A three-member panel, which comprises a Hindu preacher from Vrindavan, and two chief priests from Ayodhya, has been mandated to complete the hiring process.

(With inputs from agencies)