Arriving here for Sunday's VHP rally for a Ram temple, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray asked the Narendra Modi government to wake up from a "Kumbhakarna-like slumber" and declare the date for its construction.

"I have come here to awaken the Kumbhakarana," he said Saturday, indirectly comparing Modi, or his government, to the Ramayana character known for sleeping for months at a stretch.

"Today's Kumbhakarna has been sleeping for the past four years," he said.

The town turned into a virtual fortress with multiple layers of security and deployment of drones as people began arriving here for Sunday's `Dharam Sabha', being organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to push for the construction of the Ram temple.

The Sena leader is also urging the government to bring legislation&nbsp;or an ordinance&nbsp;for building the temple on the disputed site in Ayodhya, but he has not linked his own two-day visit to VHP event.

The VHP claimed three lakh people, including seers, will attend its public meeting, which has triggered some apprehension over the safety of the town's Muslim community.

Samajwadi Party and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said the Army should be deployed in Ayodhya, if needed, to maintain law and order.

All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) Zafaryab Jilani said Muslims in Ayodhya are "terrified"&nbsp;ahead of the VHP meeting.

No untoward incident was reported Saturday and the police assured that strict security arrangements are in place.

Thackeray said his party will support any legislation or ordinance for the Ram Mandir, which Hindutva organisations want to be constructed at the site where the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992.

"Day, months, years and generations have passed,"&nbsp;the Sena leader said on what he described as his first visit to the town to seek "darshan"&nbsp;of Ram Lalla.

"Mandir wahin baneyange, par date nahin batayenge (You say you will make the temple there, but won't tell the date),"&nbsp;he said.

"First say when you will construct the temple, the rest we will talk later,"&nbsp;he said in what sounded like a dare to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government.

He said bringing a law on the temple's construction may have been difficult during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's term as it was a coalition government then.

But the current government is strong, and the BJP is in power both at the Centre and in the state.

"Bring an ordinance or law, the Shiv Sena will support it,?"&nbsp;he said.

The Sena chief said he did not want to take the credit for the temple's construction, and others were free to do so."But how many years should we wait for the temple".

"Ram temple is a matter concerning faith and the government needs to bring a law before the court verdict," he said, referring to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land case before the Supreme Court.

The apex court has said it will set the dates for the future course of hearings only in January.

Thackeray recalled former prime minister Vajpayee as saying, 'Ab Hindu maat nahi khayega (Hindus will not be defeated now), and added, "Hindus will not sit silent."

''There is no political motive behind my visit to Ayodhya,"&nbsp;he claimed.

The Sena chief was greeted with slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" when he arrived in Ayodhya with his wife Rashmi and son Aditya.

Mahant Nrityagopal Das, the chairman of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, was among those who welcomed Thackeray at Lakshman Qila, where the Sena leader made the remarks. A drone monitored the event.

Thackeray went to the banks of the Saryu river in the evening to offer prayers. 
The Sena claimed to have brought several thousand supporters to Ayodhya for Thackeray's events.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has slammed the BJP and the Shiv Sena, saying they are raking up the Ram temple issue ahead of the Lok Sabha polls to divert attention from their failures.

"Had their intentions been good they needn't have waited for five years. It's their political tactic, nothing else,"&nbsp;she said in a statement.

Arriving here for Sunday's VHP rally for a Ram temple, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray asked the Narendra Modi government to wake up from a "Kumbhakarna-like slumber" and declare the date for its construction.

Arriving here for Sunday's VHP rally for a Ram temple, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray asked the Narendra Modi government to wake up from a "Kumbhakarna-like slumber" and declare the date for its construction. "I have come here to awaken the Kumbhakarana," he said Saturday, indirectly comparing Modi, or his government, to the Ramayana character known for sleeping for months at a stretch. "Today's Kumbhakarna has been sleeping for the past four years," he said. The town turned into a virtual fortress with multiple layers of security and deployment of drones as people began arriving here for Sunday's `Dharam Sabha', being organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to push for the construction of the Ram temple. The Sena leader is also urging the government to bring legislation or an ordinance for building the temple on the disputed site in Ayodhya, but he has not linked his own two-day visit to VHP event. The VHP claimed three lakh people, including seers, will attend its public meeting, which has triggered some apprehension over the safety of the town's Muslim community. Samajwadi Party and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav said the Army should be deployed in Ayodhya, if needed, to maintain law and order. All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) Zafaryab Jilani said Muslims in Ayodhya are "terrified" ahead of the VHP meeting. No untoward incident was reported Saturday and the police assured that strict security arrangements are in place. Thackeray said his party will support any legislation or ordinance for the Ram Mandir, which Hindutva organisations want to be constructed at the site where the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992. "Day, months, years and generations have passed," the Sena leader said on what he described as his first visit to the town to seek "darshan" of Ram Lalla. "Mandir wahin baneyange, par date nahin batayenge (You say you will make the temple there, but won't tell the date)," he said. "First say when you will construct the temple, the rest we will talk later," he said in what sounded like a dare to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government. He said bringing a law on the temple's construction may have been difficult during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's term as it was a coalition government then. But the current government is strong, and the BJP is in power both at the Centre and in the state. "Bring an ordinance or law, the Shiv Sena will support it,?" he said. The Sena chief said he did not want to take the credit for the temple's construction, and others were free to do so."But how many years should we wait for the temple". "Ram temple is a matter concerning faith and the government needs to bring a law before the court verdict," he said, referring to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land case before the Supreme Court. The apex court has said it will set the dates for the future course of hearings only in January. Thackeray recalled former prime minister Vajpayee as saying, 'Ab Hindu maat nahi khayega (Hindus will not be defeated now), and added, "Hindus will not sit silent." ''There is no political motive behind my visit to Ayodhya," he claimed. The Sena chief was greeted with slogans of "Jai Shri Ram" when he arrived in Ayodhya with his wife Rashmi and son Aditya. Mahant Nrityagopal Das, the chairman of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, was among those who welcomed Thackeray at Lakshman Qila, where the Sena leader made the remarks. A drone monitored the event. Thackeray went to the banks of the Saryu river in the evening to offer prayers. The Sena claimed to have brought several thousand supporters to Ayodhya for Thackeray's events. Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has slammed the BJP and the Shiv Sena, saying they are raking up the Ram temple issue ahead of the Lok Sabha polls to divert attention from their failures. "Had their intentions been good they needn't have waited for five years. It's their political tactic, nothing else," she said in a statement.

Ayodhya tense as VHP organises massive 'Dharam Sabha' to push for Ram temple

Amid heavy security, tens of thousands of monks and activists from Hindu nationalist groups began converging on the town of Ayodhya on Sunday to demand the construction of a temple on a disputed religious site.

Over 200,000 people are expected near the site where a Hindu mob in 1992 pulled down a 16th-century mosque, sparking deadly religious riots that killed some 2,000 people in one of India's worst communal violence since the partition in 1947.

More than 900 extra police and a large number of paramilitary, including elite commandos, have been stationed at Ayodhya, said Vivek Tripathi, spokesman for the Uttar Pradesh police. "We're monitoring the entire town by CCTV and drone cameras," Tripathi said.

In the run-up to a general election due by May 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and many Hindu outfits affiliated with the BJP have ratcheted up their demand for a new temple at the disputed site which most Hindus believe was the birthplace of warrior-God Lord Ram.

Hindu groups point to evidence there was a temple before a mosque was built by a Muslim ruler in 1528.

"The mosque was a slight on Hindus and it's a shame that we've failed to build a temple on one of the most holy sites for Hindus," said Sharad Sharma, spokesman for the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), or the World Hindu Council, which has close ties with the BJP.

Hindus are getting impatient and the time has come to build a grand temple for Lord Ram, Sharma said.
<img alt="Police on patrol in Ayodhya during the Dharam Sabha. " data-caption="&lt;em&gt;Police on&amp;nbsp;patrol during the Dharam Sabha&lt;/em&gt;.&amp;nbsp;" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="12b55183-55c1-4b68-99cb-175a7d51ff71" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2864%29.jpg" />
The group gathering on Sunday will urge the government to introduce a legislation to pave the way for a temple, said Bablu Khan, an elected BJP council member in Ayodhya.

Both Hindu and Muslim groups have petitioned the Supreme Court to help resolve the issue. The top court has sought more time to give its verdict.

Sharma said the delay has disappointed India's majority Hindu community which can not wait endlessly for a verdict.

Both the BJP and VHP and their parent movement, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, have asked the government to issue an executive order to build a temple and bypass the Supreme Court.&nbsp;

The heavily fortified site, which looks like a small garrison town, is under the control of the Supreme Court.

Sunday's congregation in Ayodhya would be followed up with bigger gatherings in New Delhi, India's capital, said Sharma.

The build-up of Hindu religious leaders and right wing political activists has also raised questions about the safety of Muslims who live in Ayodhya and other nearby areas.

Zafaryab Jilani, a senior member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said it's incumbent upon the state administration to ensure the safety of the community.

The administration is geared up to protect every single individual in the town, said Anil Pathak, district chief of Faizabad, where the Ayodhya town is located.

Amid heavy security, tens of thousands of monks and activists from Hindu nationalist groups began converging on the town of Ayodhya on Sunday to demand the construction of a temple on a disputed religious site.

Amid heavy security, tens of thousands of monks and activists from Hindu nationalist groups began converging on the town of Ayodhya on Sunday to demand the construction of a temple on a disputed religious site. Over 200,000 people are expected near the site where a Hindu mob in 1992 pulled down a 16th-century mosque, sparking deadly religious riots that killed some 2,000 people in one of India's worst communal violence since the partition in 1947. More than 900 extra police and a large number of paramilitary, including elite commandos, have been stationed at Ayodhya, said Vivek Tripathi, spokesman for the Uttar Pradesh police. "We're monitoring the entire town by CCTV and drone cameras," Tripathi said. In the run-up to a general election due by May 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and many Hindu outfits affiliated with the BJP have ratcheted up their demand for a new temple at the disputed site which most Hindus believe was the birthplace of warrior-God Lord Ram. Hindu groups point to evidence there was a temple before a mosque was built by a Muslim ruler in 1528. "The mosque was a slight on Hindus and it's a shame that we've failed to build a temple on one of the most holy sites for Hindus," said Sharad Sharma, spokesman for the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), or the World Hindu Council, which has close ties with the BJP. Hindus are getting impatient and the time has come to build a grand temple for Lord Ram, Sharma said. The group gathering on Sunday will urge the government to introduce a legislation to pave the way for a temple, said Bablu Khan, an elected BJP council member in Ayodhya. Both Hindu and Muslim groups have petitioned the Supreme Court to help resolve the issue. The top court has sought more time to give its verdict. Sharma said the delay has disappointed India's majority Hindu community which can not wait endlessly for a verdict. Both the BJP and VHP and their parent movement, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, have asked the government to issue an executive order to build a temple and bypass the Supreme Court. The heavily fortified site, which looks like a small garrison town, is under the control of the Supreme Court. Sunday's congregation in Ayodhya would be followed up with bigger gatherings in New Delhi, India's capital, said Sharma. The build-up of Hindu religious leaders and right wing political activists has also raised questions about the safety of Muslims who live in Ayodhya and other nearby areas. Zafaryab Jilani, a senior member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said it's incumbent upon the state administration to ensure the safety of the community. The administration is geared up to protect every single individual in the town, said Anil Pathak, district chief of Faizabad, where the Ayodhya town is located.

Ayodhya tense as thousands gather for VHP's Ram temple push

A day before the Dharam Sabha called by the Vishva Hindu Parishad, Ayodhya was virtually turned into a fortress with multiple layers of security and deployment of drones to keep an eye on possible mischief- mongers.

A UP Police spokesperson said one additional DGP, one deputy inspector general (DIG), three senior superintendents of police (SSPs), 10 additional SPs, 21 deputy SPs, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of&nbsp;PAC, five companies of RAF, ATS commandos and drones were deployed here.

When contacted, Ayodhya mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay told PTI that adequate security arrangements were made by the police and district administration in the town, located 120 km from state capital, Lucknow.&nbsp;

"As many as 13 parking slots have been provided for the event. No permission was given to the Shiv Sena by the government to hold a rally," the mayor said.

Despite a slight chill in the air, the temple town seems to be reeling under the political heat generated by the 'Dharam Sabha', being held to call for the construction of a grand temple for Lord Ram here.

A pamphlet recently released by the VHP raises the pitch for its construction. It reads "Saugandh Ram ki khaate hai, hum mandir bhavya banayenge (We pledge in the name of Lord Ram that we will build a grand temple for him)" and urges devotees to be a part of the movement.

Vishva Hindu Parishad was founded on August 29, 1964 on the auspicious day of Shri Krishna Janmasthami. Its objective is to organise, consolidate the Hindu society and serve, protect the Hindu Dharma.

The organisers of the Dharam Sabha claim the more than 3 lakh devotees of Lord Ram were likely to arrive for the programme this Sunday.

VHP media in-charge Ambuj Ojha said, "After staying in a 'taat' (tent), Lord Ram is expecting a revival of bravado among his devotees. The moment has come. The temple must be built where Ram Lalla is currently seated. Also, there should not be any mosque in the cultural boundary of Ayodhya."

On November 18, the VHP had organised a motorcycle rally in different parts of Lucknow in this regard.

Praant Sangathan mantra (Awadh) of VHP Bholendra in a written statement said this was the final Dharam Sabha for construction of Ram temple. "After this, no more Dharam Sabhas will be held and the construction of the temple will commence," he said.

The Supreme Court on November 12 had declined early hearing of petitions in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul had said it already listed the appeals before the appropriate bench in January.

Earlier, a three-judge bench, by a 2:1 majority, refused to refer to a five-judge constitution bench the issue of reconsideration of the observations in its 1994 judgement of the Allahabad High Court that a mosque was not integral to Islam.&nbsp;

The matter had arisen during the hearing of the Ayodhya land dispute.

A day before the Dharam Sabha called by the Vishva Hindu Parishad, Ayodhya was virtually turned into a fortress with multiple layers of security and deployment of drones to keep an eye on possible mischief- mongers.

A day before the Dharam Sabha called by the Vishva Hindu Parishad, Ayodhya was virtually turned into a fortress with multiple layers of security and deployment of drones to keep an eye on possible mischief- mongers. A UP Police spokesperson said one additional DGP, one deputy inspector general (DIG), three senior superintendents of police (SSPs), 10 additional SPs, 21 deputy SPs, 160 inspectors, 700 constables, 42 companies of PAC, five companies of RAF, ATS commandos and drones were deployed here. When contacted, Ayodhya mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay told PTI that adequate security arrangements were made by the police and district administration in the town, located 120 km from state capital, Lucknow. "As many as 13 parking slots have been provided for the event. No permission was given to the Shiv Sena by the government to hold a rally," the mayor said. Despite a slight chill in the air, the temple town seems to be reeling under the political heat generated by the 'Dharam Sabha', being held to call for the construction of a grand temple for Lord Ram here. A pamphlet recently released by the VHP raises the pitch for its construction. It reads "Saugandh Ram ki khaate hai, hum mandir bhavya banayenge (We pledge in the name of Lord Ram that we will build a grand temple for him)" and urges devotees to be a part of the movement. Vishva Hindu Parishad was founded on August 29, 1964 on the auspicious day of Shri Krishna Janmasthami. Its objective is to organise, consolidate the Hindu society and serve, protect the Hindu Dharma. The organisers of the Dharam Sabha claim the more than 3 lakh devotees of Lord Ram were likely to arrive for the programme this Sunday. VHP media in-charge Ambuj Ojha said, "After staying in a 'taat' (tent), Lord Ram is expecting a revival of bravado among his devotees. The moment has come. The temple must be built where Ram Lalla is currently seated. Also, there should not be any mosque in the cultural boundary of Ayodhya." On November 18, the VHP had organised a motorcycle rally in different parts of Lucknow in this regard. Praant Sangathan mantra (Awadh) of VHP Bholendra in a written statement said this was the final Dharam Sabha for construction of Ram temple. "After this, no more Dharam Sabhas will be held and the construction of the temple will commence," he said. The Supreme Court on November 12 had declined early hearing of petitions in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice S K Kaul had said it already listed the appeals before the appropriate bench in January. Earlier, a three-judge bench, by a 2:1 majority, refused to refer to a five-judge constitution bench the issue of reconsideration of the observations in its 1994 judgement of the Allahabad High Court that a mosque was not integral to Islam. The matter had arisen during the hearing of the Ayodhya land dispute.

Ayodhya turns into fortress for 'Dharam Sabha', over 3 lakh people expected

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Ayodhya tense as VHP organises massive 'Dharam Sabha' to push for Ram temple

Ayodhya tense as thousands gather for VHP's Ram temple push

Ayodhya turns into fortress for 'Dharam Sabha', over 3 lakh people expected