Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh: People showered petals on MLAs visiting Ram Janmabhoomi temple on Sunday near the border of Barabanki and Ayodhya. Bulldozers were also lined up to welcome the convoy of UP MLAs.
Visuals showed flowers being showered on the buses of the UP MLAs from both sides of the highway as buses reached Barabanki border.
Members of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly and Legislative Council are on their way to Ayodhya for a momentous visit to the newly inaugurated Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya on buses, today.
Buses carrying MLAs left for Ayodhya's Ram Temple from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in Lucknow on Sunday morning.
Visuals showed MLAs chanting 'Jai Shree Ram' as they gathered outside the UP Assembly before leaving for their journey.
The legislators have been invited by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and UP Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana to offer prayers before Ram Lalla.
Speaking to media, Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker, Satish Mandan, expressed his joy at being part of the 'Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Andolan.' Reflecting on the occasion, he stated "This is a special moment for me because I was part of the 'Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Andolan. This is an emotional moment for me. I am very happy. God has bestowed upon me the opportunity to be with all legislators in this form, and it is a matter of great fortune for me."
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On being asked about the Opposition's participation, the speaker said, "Those who are meant to come will come. These discussions of faith and religion cannot be imposed on anyone, but at the time when I asked to raise the hand in the legislative assembly, only 14 legislators objected, saying they wouldn't go. Others are ready to attend."
Expressing gratitude, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Ritesh Gupta shared, "I am fortunate to get the opportunity to have the darshan of Lord Ram Lalla. After the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, everyone wanted to visit Ayodhya and have a darshan. Today, because of CM Yogi Adityanath, all the MLAs will be travelling to Ayodhya together."
Similarly, MLA Sarita Bhadauria expressed her feelings, saying, "I consider myself very lucky that I got the opportunity to go to Ayodhya. I am fortunate enough to get the Ram Lala Darshan. Our whole generation is lucky. I belong to the village which is in between the Madhya Pradesh & Uttar Pradesh border. People were getting beaten up & still chose to say Ram's name."
Meanwhile, RLD leader Rajpal Balyan acknowledged the decision as good, leading them together for the visit.
"We are heading to Ayodhya today under the guidance of our CM for the darshan of Ram Lala. The decision is very apt, leading us all together for this visit," Rajpal Balyan said.
When asked about the Samajwadi Party's refusal to visit Ram Lala in Ayodhya, he responded, "They had refused even when there was a conference in Varanasi involving leaders from across India. If they are still not going today, it's their decision. We, being Hindus and followers of our faith, are going today."
The 'Pran Pratishtha' of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya's historic temple was held on January 22, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing the rituals, led by a group of priests. Acharya Satyendra Das is the Chief Priest of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Temple, in Ayodhya.
—ANI