Nyas, Shankaracharya not on same page on shilanyas

The Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas and Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth Swaroopanand Saraswati do not appear to be on the same page on shilanyas for Ram temple in Ayodhya.

The Nyas, which spearheaded the Ram temple movement across the country in the late 1980s and the early 1990s, has the backing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS).

After Swaroopanand on Wednesday appealed to Hindus to reach Ayodhya on February 21 with bricks for shilanyas of the Ram temple that day, the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas and the VHP played down Swaroopanand’s statement.

Sharad Sharma, regional spokesperson of the VHP, said, “We respect Swaroopanandji. But Shilanyas has already been done once in Ayodhya. It was done by a dalit. It cannot be done again.”

“For construction of Ram Mandir, we need big shilas and not small bricks. For moving these shilas, we need big machines,” added Sharma.

An Ayodhya-based saint said, “Shankaracharya Swaroopanand’s call for ‘Ayodhya move’ is a direct challenge to the RSS and its affiliate organisations on the Ram temple issue.” Swaroopanand’s call has come ahead of the VHP’s two-day Dharam Sansad that will begin on Thursday.

Joint secretary, VHP, Surendra Jain, stated that saints who have been carrying out the Ram temple movement across the country will assemble at the Dharma Sansad on Thursday and they will decide the temple issue.

Owing to the association with the Sangh Parivar, the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas and the VHP are reluctant to go all out against the Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh and the Modi government at the Centre on the Ram temple issue.

However, Swaroopanand is considered close to the Congress, especially its senior leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh.

“Hindus in groups of four must reach Ayodhya on February 21 for shilanyas. They must also carry bricks,” Swami Swaroopanand said at the Param Dharam Sansad in Prayagraj.

The VHP had convened a Dharma Sabha in Ayodhya in November last at the Bade Bhakt Mahal. The event was successful but the VHP desisted from making any big announcement on the Ram temple issue.