The petition cites objections from Shankaracharyas and claims that the ceremony goes against the Sanatana tradition.
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — A Ghaziabad resident has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Allahabad High Court, urging a ban on the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony scheduled for January 22 at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple.
The petition filed by Bhola Das cites objections from Shankaracharyas and claims that the ceremony goes against the Sanatana tradition.
The petition argues that installing the idol of Ram in an incomplete temple is not in line with religious practices, and Shankaracharyas have objected to the ceremony taking place in the month of ‘Pus.’ Furthermore, it alleges that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is organising the event for political gains in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, media reports reaching here said on Wednesday.
Opposition parties, including Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), have supported the Shankaracharyas’ decision to boycott the event. Congress leader Ashok Gehlot emphasised the importance of their objection, stating, “If the Shankaracharyas are saying so, it has its own importance.”
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the BJP of politicising the Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Temple, asserting that the event should adhere to established religious traditions under the guidance of the Four Peeths’ Shankaracharyas.
A report on Tuesday quoted Swami Nischalanand Saraswati Maharaj, the Shankaracharya of Puri, explaining the decision to stay away from the event. “This is not about ego. Are we expected to merely sit outside and applaud when the prime minister installs the idol of Ram? The presence of a ‘secular’ government does not imply the obliteration of tradition.”
Vedic rituals for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony have already commenced, with the main ceremony scheduled for January 22.
