LK Advani Opts Out Of Ram Mandir 'Pran Pratishtha' Due To Severe Cold Weather

Veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani, a prominent figure in the Ram Mandir movement in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, has opted to skip the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony today due to the extremely cold weather.

There had been uncertainty surrounding the attendance of the 96-year-old BJP veteran. The Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the Ram Mandir trust, had previously indicated that both LK Advani and his party colleague Murli Manohar Joshi were unlikely to attend the 'Pran Pratistha' due to their health and age.

While Ram Temple Trust general secretary Champat Rai mentioned last month that, "Both are elders of the family and considering their age, they were requested not to come, which was accepted by both," earlier this month, a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader informed ANI that LK Advani would indeed be present at the Ram Mandir inauguration. Alok Kumar, the International Working President of the VHP, assured that all necessary arrangements and medical facilities would be provided to the BJP veteran.

The VHP had extended an invitation to LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi in December to attend the Ram temple opening in Ayodhya.

As the countdown to the grand 'Pran Pratistha' of Ram Lalla at the Ram Mandir began, Ayodhya was adorned with flowers, streetlights, and posters of Lord Ram. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to lead the rituals of 'Pran Pratistha' in Ayodhya today. Stringent security measures, including 13,000 forces, anti-bomb squads, and snipers, have been deployed. A camp by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been established near the Ram Mandir shrine in Ayodhya, while traffic diversions and parking arrangements for over 20,000 vehicles are in place.