Bring LK Advani To Ayodhya On January 22: Former BJP MP

Former BJP MP and Ram temple movement seer Ram Vilas Vedanti on Thursday urged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to make arrangements to bring BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani to Ayodhya for the consecration ceremony slated for January 22.

The development comes days after the Ram Temple Trust on December 18 "advised" Advani and another BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi not to attend the consecration ceremony because of their age.

"Advani should see with his own eyes Ram Lalla sitting on his throne...this is not only the desire of the country, but of the Hindus across the world, because Advani's contribution to the Ram temple movement is huge," Mr Vedanti said.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mr Advani and Mr Joshi have contributed a lot for the BJP to reach where it is now, he said.

"Advani has made a huge contribution to the Ram temple movement through his 'Rath Yatra' from Somnath to Ayodhya. I want that when Ram Lalla is being consecrated, the UP government, especially Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, should make arrangements to bring Advani to the sanctum sanctorum," Mr Vedanti told reporters here.

Earlier this month, Ram Temple Trust general secretary Champat Rai had asked Mr Advani and Mr Joshi not to come for the ceremony because of their age.

"Both are elders of the family and considering their age, they were requested not to come, which was accepted by them," Mr Rai had said.

However, a day later on December 19, the Vishva Hindu Parishad had stepped in and its working president Alok Kumar said he has invited Mr Advani and Mr Joshi to attend the consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Both Mr Advani and Mr Joshi said they will make "every effort" to join the ceremony to be held on January 22, Kumar had said in a statement.