Thousands gathered in Delhi for VHP rally to demand bill for Ram temple

The campaign will culminate at Prayag with a ‘Dharam Sansad’ of priests and saints.

New Delhi: Thousands of people gathered at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on Sunday for Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s rally to press for the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, days before Parliament’s winter session commences.

The VHP has said the rally, to be addressed by RSS’s executive head Suresh ‘Bhaiyyaji’ Joshi, will be an attempt to give a clarion call to the Union government to enact a legislation, if need be, for the construction of the temple.

Besides Joshi, VHP president Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje and its international working president Alok Kumar are also expected to address the rally.

The traffic police has issued an advisory detailing diversions in view of the rally. It said no traffic will be allowed on Ranjeet Singh Flyover (from Guru Nanak Chowk to Barakhambha Road), JLN Marg (from Rajghat to Delhi Gate), Chaman Lal Marg near VIP gate.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made at Ramlila Maidan and snipers have been deployed on high-rises.

The VHP has carried out a door-to-door campaign to make the rally a success.

“It will be a massive gathering which will change the hearts of all those who are not in favour of bringing the bill for construction of a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya,” VHP’s spokesperson Vinod Bansal said.

The right-wing group had approached President Ram Nath Kovind and state governors during previous phases of its temple campaign. In the forthcoming stage, it will hold religious rituals and prayers at temples and matths.

The campaign will culminate at Prayag with a ‘Dharam Sansad’ of priests and saints. The final ‘Dharam Sansad’ will be held on January 31 and February 1.

The winter session is set to begin on Tuesday.