Ayodhya: Yogi govt detains seer on fast unto death for Ram temple

Mahant Paramhans Das Screengrab of Mahant Paramhans Das during his fast unto death

The majority of seers in Ayodhya appear to be on the warpath. They are pressing hard for their demand that the BJP allow the start of construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site in the holy town.

However, in what could turn out to be a fresh headache for the saffron party, a prominent mahant of Ayodhya, Paramhams Das, has virtually opened a new front against the BJP government as he has been on a fast to death for the last one week on the Ram temple issue. Tension over the stir by Das seems set to escalate after the Yogi Adityanath government took him into custody and took him for medical treatment late on Sunday night after his health deteriorated.

The news of the mahant being taken into custody has made the seers of Ayodhya furious. According to Superintendent of Police (city), Anil Sisodiya, the condition of Das had deteriorated, which led to him being sent to Lucknow for urgent medical treatment.

A senior minister in the Adityanath government, Satish Mahana, had gone to Ayodhya on Sunday to urge the mahant to give up his agitation but the attempts of the government went in vain. The minister and the mahant spoke for around 20 minutes, but Das refused to yield. According to Das, he was assured that arrangements would be made to hold a telephonic conversation with Adityanath.

However, around 11.15pm on Sunday night, police, along with an ambulance, reached the spot where Das was staging his agitation and took him away.

Meanwhile, former head of the VHP Pravin Togadia too has been trying to put pressure on the BJP for the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. Togadia and activists of his newly formed Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad will reach Ayodhya on October 21 to highlight their demand for temple construction. Togadia will hold a meeting of his supporters in Lucknow on Tuesday.

The public mood in Ayodhya among the people and seers appears to be in favour of getting a concrete assurance from the BJP government on the issue of temple construction and not mere 'lip service'.

Interestingly, Das had demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi visit Ayodhya and give a 'concrete assurance' on building a Ram temple.