Union Ministers commemorate ‘historic’ Ram Temple bhoomi pujan

New Delhi: As the country witnessed Prime Minister Narendra Modi laying the foundation stone for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, several Cabinet Ministers and former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan commemorated the “historic” day in their own ways.

Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, recited Ram Raksha and performed ‘puja’ with his family in Maharashtra’s Nagpur while the ‘bhoomi pujan’ was conducted in Ayodhya.

गर्व, श्रद्धा और रोमांच की अनुभूति एक साथ हो रही है। कोरोना महामारी के कारण देश में जो असामान्य स्थिति उत्पन्न हुई है,उस वजह से हम सब इच्छा होते हुए भी अयोध्या नहीं जा पाये, लेकिन मैंने आज नागपुर में अपने निवास पर परिवार के साथ सामूहिक राम नाम पाठ कर प्रभु श्रीराम जी की पूजा की। pic.twitter.com/XyS6MpdFip

— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) August 5, 2020

In a tweet (in Hindi) earlier today, Gadkari said, “Proud, reverence and thrill — these are the emotions I am feeling today. Despite being eager to be in Ayodhya today, we could not go because of the unusual circumstances [COVID-19] our country is going through. However, I and my family recited Ram Raksha and worshipped Lord Ram today.”

Meanwhile in Delhi, Dr Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday, Union Health Minister distributed sweets to his staff at his residence to mark the occasion of ‘bhoomi pujan’ for Ram Temple.

भगवान भास्कर के सानिध्य में देश ने सरयू के किनारे एक स्वर्णिम अध्याय रचा!
हम भाग्यशाली हैं कि श्रीराम जी ने हमें सदियों पूर्व प्रारम्भ हुए महायज्ञ की पूर्णाहुति के साक्षी होने का सकल आशीष प्रदान किया है।#RamMandir भूमिपूजन के इस पल पर मैंने अपने आवास पर खुशियां बांटी।#JaiShriRam pic.twitter.com/K2znNt4hPv

— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) August 5, 2020

“We are lucky that we could witness the fulfilment of the dream for which 500-year long struggle took place,” he told ANI.

Before ‘bhoomi pujan’, PM Modi visited Hanuman Garhi temple, marking the first-ever visit by any Prime Minister to this temple. He also became the first Prime Minister to visit the Ram Janmabhoomi site.

Many political leaders across the country hailed this day as “historic”. Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Law and Justice of India, said that several Indians were waiting for this day for centuries.

“It is a historic day. The construction of Ram Temple has started in Ayodhya today after sacrifices, wait and patience of generations. Indians and many people across the world were waiting for this day for centuries,” he said on Wednesday.

बरसों से टाट और टेंट के नीचे रह रहे हमारे रामलला के लिए अब एक भव्य मंदिर का निर्माण होगा। टूटना और फिर उठ खड़ा होना, सदियों से चल रहे इस व्यतिक्रम से रामजन्मभूमि आज मुक्त हो गई है: PM @narendramodi #JaiShriRam pic.twitter.com/RZwsaGqRY4

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) August 5, 2020

To mark the much-awaited foundation laying ceremony, PM Modi unveiled the temple’s plaque and a commemorative postage stamp on ‘Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir’.

“With foundation laying of Ram Mandir, India has shown how the 500-year-old dispute has been resolved peacefully,” said Prakash Javadekar, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, on Wednesday.

भारत की परिकल्पना पहले से विस्तारित है की भारत एक अच्छी ताकत बने। वह शिक्षा से,कौशल से,आत्मनिर्भरता से ही बन सकता है।इसलिए एक प्रखर भारत, आत्मनिर्भर भारत और शक्तिमान भारत इसकी दुहाई आज प्रधानमंत्री @narendramodi जी ने दी है और वह निश्चित रूप से सबको पसंद आएगी। #JaiShriRam pic.twitter.com/OSWcGxv5pm

— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) August 5, 2020

In the meantime in Indore, Sumitra Mahajan, former Lok Sabha speaker watched the live telecast of ‘bhoomi pujan’ of Ram Temple today and offered prayers at the city’s BJP office.

After laying the foundation stone for the Ram temple, PM Modi had termed the event as an “emotional moment” for the country and added that “every heart is illuminated today”. (ANI)