On Friday (19th January), the CEO and owner of the Serum Institute India Adar Poonawalla got an invitation to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. He shared this from his X handle and expressed his intent to visit the temple soon.
Adar Poonawalla posted, “I am humbled to receive the invitation to the Prabhu Shri Ram Lalla Mandir at Ayodhya through senior RSS functionaries like Shri Manoj Pochat, Pracharak Shri. Kedar Kulkarni & Shri. Prasad Lawalekar. Wholeheartedly I have accepted the invitation and it will be an honour to visit the Shri Ram Mandir soon.”
I am humbled to receive the invitation to the Prabhu Shri Ram Lalla Mandir ? at Ayodhya through senior RSS functionaries like Shri. @Manojpochat, Pracharak Shri. Kedar Kulkarni & Shri. Prasad Lawalekar.
The Pran Pratishtha ceremony is scheduled at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya on 22nd January 2024. The idol will be consecrated at the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Invitations have been extended to revered saints from all traditions, along with all prominent individuals contributing to the honour of the country in every domain. About 4,000 saints from all sects have been invited to participate.
Invitations have been extended to all Shankaracharyas, Mahamandaleshwars, and top spiritual leaders of the Sikh and Buddhist communities. Key figures from various realms such as Vamini Narayan, Art of Living, Gayatri Parivar, Media Houses, Sports, Farmers and the Art world have been invited. Invitations have also been sent to veteran journalists active from 1984 to 1992. The families of Karsewaks have also been invited.
Billionaire businessman Adar Poonawalla is the CEO of the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer. Born on 14th January 1981, he is the son of Cyrus Poonawalla, the founder of the Serum Institute. Adar has played a crucial role in the global fight against COVID-19 by leading the production of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, known as Covishield in India. Under his leadership, the Serum Institute has been pivotal in supplying vaccines to various countries, contributing significantly to global vaccination efforts and India’s lead to extend support to multiple countries. Adar Poonawalla is recognised for his philanthropy and commitment to public health. Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has invited him to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
On Thursday (18th January), the chairman and managing director of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) BC Pathak said in an interview that India is on a mission to commission a nuclear power reactor every year. He also gave detailed information about the progress and plans of the country’s nuclear power sector.
In an interview with ‘The Hindu’, BC Pathak said, “India already has a plan to increase its present installed nuclear power capacity of 7,480 MW to 22,480 MW by 2031-2032 in a progressive manner. We made India’s largest indigenously developed 700-MWe pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) – the fourth unit in Kakrapar, Gujarat. We made the reactor critical in July 2020 and connected it to the grid in January 2021, in six months. There were some commissioning experiments to be done after that. We had to take care of the commissioning challenges and we have addressed those issues now. Accordingly, it was declared commercial on 30th June 2023 and started generating its commercial power of 700 MWe on 30th August 2023.”
He further said, “The electricity requirement in our country is huge. Our indigenously built largest reactor is 700-MWe. For major capacity addition, we will go ahead with the 700-MWe PHWRs. However, if required, we may go for 220-MWe PHWRs, which are equally proven. Until now, we were building two or four reactors at a time. But now, nine reactors are under construction at present. Ten reactors are in various pre-project activities. So 19 reactors are under various stages of implementation.”
BC Pathak said, “Globally, on average, the energy composition consists of about 20% electricity and 80% energy from coal, petrol, diesel, gas, lignite, and other components. Efforts are being made to decarbonise the electricity sector by putting up solar power plants, wind energy, renewables, and nuclear power plants. The 80% energy sector consists of fuel that is being directly used as molecules or as a reducing agent. There is a need to decarbonise that sector also.”
The NPCIL chief added, “Efforts are being made globally to replace this fuel with a fuel that does not emit carbon dioxide. That is why the emphasis is being made on the production of green hydrogen. Green hydrogen, to some extent, will help in decarbonisation. In future, nuclear power may play a major role in producing hydrogen because nuclear is clean energy. Hydrogen, produced from clean energy sources, is generally termed green hydrogen. That is why nuclear has a dual role – in terms of electricity generation and as a promising potential clean energy source.”
BC Pathak additionally highlighted India’s dedication to expanding its nuclear power capacity and provided updates on the advancements of several nuclear projects nationwide. These include upcoming reactors like Rajasthan Atomic Power Station-7 (RAPS-7), Madras Atomic Power Station-1 (MAPS-1), Tarapur Atomic Power Station-1 (TAPS-1), as well as ongoing initiatives such as the development of Kudankulam-3,4, 5, and 6 reactors. Furthermore, he addressed the country’s efforts in promoting green hydrogen production.
BC Pathak elucidated the commitment of NPCIL to a three-stage nuclear power program, underscoring the sequential evolution of nuclear technology. He conveyed optimism regarding India’s ability to achieve energy self-sufficiency as it advances through the stages of its nuclear power program.
The US on Thursday (local time) evaded a question on whether Pakistan held prior consultations with Washington before conducting retaliatory air strikes on Iran.
On media reports claiming Pakistan consulted the US before conducting strikes in Iran, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller, during a regular press briefing in Washington, said, “I do not have any private conversations to read out.”
Miller said the US is concerned about the escalating tensions in the region and has urged restraint on all sides.
He said there is no need for escalation in the matter and that the country has noted the Pakistani government’s comments about the importance of “cooperative relations between Pakistan and its neighbours.
In response to a question on how the US administration reads the situation between Iran and Pakistan, Miller said, “We are concerned about escalating tensions in the region. It’s been something we have spoken a number of times, we’ve focused on. We’ve been incredibly concerned about the potential for escalation since October 7.”
“That’s why we have engaged in intense diplomatic efforts to try to prevent escalation. We noted the comments from the government of Pakistan, about the importance of cooperative relations between Pakistan and its neighbours. We thought those were productive useful statements, and certainly, there’s no need for escalation and we would urge restraint on all sides in this case,” he added.
Matthew Miller called Iran a major funder of Hezbollah and a principal supporter of Hamas for years.
In another query about the ongoing tensions between Iran and Pakistan after strikes and counterstrikes, Miller said, “I think I made pretty clear yesterday what we think about Iran’s attacks, not just the strikes that were launched in the past three days against three of its neighbours but its long history of funding terrorism, funding instability and sowing discord in the Middle East. That’s something we have seen contribute to conflict in Gaza.”
Iran’s strikes in Pakistan came after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched missiles into Iraq’s Kurdistan region at what it called an Israeli “spy headquarters” and at alleged ISIS-linked targets in Syria, Al Arabiya News reported.
In response, Pakistan on Thursday launched missile strikes into Iran and codenamed it operation ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar’.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in a statement said it had undertaken a series of “highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts” in the Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran.
“A number of terrorists were killed during the intelligence-based operation codenamed “Marg Bar Sarmachar,” it said.
Meanwhile, US State Department spokesperson Miller said: “You have seen Iran as the principal supporter of Hamas for years. They are the major funder of Hezbollah. They are one of the major funders of the Houthis. We have seen the consequences of the actions that Iran has taken to add to regional instability and that’s why we continue to take actions to hold Iran accountable and also send clear very messages to Iran that we don’t believe this should escalate in any way, shape or form.”
“Pakistan is a major non-NATO ally of the United States, and that will remain the case, but we would urge restraint in this case. We do not want to see escalation and don’t think there’s a need for escalation,” he added.
US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House, John Kirby, said the US is monitoring the situation regarding Iran and Pakistan “very very closely” and they do not want to see escalation. (ANI)
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On Tuesday (16th January), the special court for cases probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) convicted Mehdi Masroor Biswas of supporting terror operations by posting content in support of ISIS on X (formerly Twitter) between 2012 and 2014 and recruiting cadres. The quantum of punishment will be announced on Friday (19th January).
On Tuesday, a Bengaluru special court for terrorism cases convicted Biswas on terrorist charges under Sections 13, 18, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, which carry a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. He was additionally convicted under Section 125 of the Indian Penal Code for attempting to wage war against an “Asiatic Power in alliance or at peace with the Government of India,” which carries a seven-year prison sentence, as well as under IPC Sections 153 A for promoting enmity between groups and 505 for making statements conducive to public mischief.
Mehdi Masroor Biswas, who went by the username @shamiwitness on X, used his social media handle to sympathise with the terrorist organisation during the early days of ISIS in Syria in 2014.
Mehdi Biswas was arrested in Bengaluru on December 13, 2014, at the age of 24. Following the revelation by the UK’s Channel 4 that he was the person behind the @shamiwitness handle, which assisted British IS recruits in joining ISIS (then known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) in Syria, he was arrested from his flat in Jalahalli. He was arrested in a joint operation by the Bengaluru Central Crime Branch police and the Internal Security Department.
MK Thammaiah, the then-assistant commissioner of police (CCB) and investigating officer, stated that Biswas’ retrieved tweets and retweets played a critical part in his conviction. “In all, he had made 1,22,208 tweets and most of them were related to IS activities. Along with the tweets, he had posted (deleted later and retrieved during the investigation) 15,500 images,” Thammaiah said, adding that at first, Biswas supported the Jama’at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal Muslimin (JNIM). “When IS gained popularity, Biswas started supporting it and urged JNIM leaders to join forces with IS. He was in touch with 88 men who were identified as terror suspects from Syria and other countries,” he added.
Notably, the Central Crime Branch police filed a 36,986-page chargesheet against Biswas in June 2015. Although he was never physically associated with the Islamic State, Biswas acquired information about the terrorist organisation by spending hours compiling data on radical Islamic activity in the Middle East and disseminating it via the @shamiwitness handle.
Mehdi Biswas was also accused of predicting on Twitter the beheadings of US journalist James Foley and UK aid worker Peter Kassig just weeks before the Islamic State executed them. He was also accused of advocating for IS support in Kashmir, tweeting that the terrorists in Kashmir were martyrs.
Back in 2014, OpIndia reported that on Facebook, where the ISIS sympathiser would post as Mehdi, his real name, he used to post updates about city life and pizzas he ate and other such daily life events, while on Twitter he would transform into a bloodthirsty Jehadi who wanted the entire world to be ruled by the Caliph Abu Bakr Baghdadi, the head of ISIS.
Unsurprisingly, Mehdi Biswas had received support from Indian liberals back in 2014 drawing false equivalence between the IS propagandist and random internet Hindu accounts in their attempts to prove Mehdi Biswas as “just another Twitter user”.
On Wednesday (17th January), the President of Argentina Javier Milei made a special address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos town of Switzerland. He urged business and political leaders to reject socialism and embrace free enterprise capitalism to end global poverty.
“Today I’m here to tell you that the Western world is in danger. And it is in danger because those who are supposed to have to defend the values of the West are co-opted by a vision of the world that inexorably leads to socialism and thereby to poverty,” he remarked.
“Unfortunately, in recent decades, the main leaders of the Western world have abandoned the model of freedom for different versions of what we call collectivism. We’re here to tell you that collectivist experiments are never the solution to the problems that afflict the citizens of the world. Rather, they are the root cause,” Milei added.
The President of Argentina pointed out, “Far from being the cause of our problems, free trade capitalism as an economic system is the only instrument we have to end hunger, poverty and extreme poverty across our planet. The empirical evidence is unquestionable.”
“Therefore since there is no doubt that free enterprise capitalism is superior in productive terms, the left-wing doxa has attacked capitalism, alleging matters of morality, saying – that’s what the detractors claim – that it’s unjust. They say that capitalism is evil because it’s individualistic and that collectivism is good because it’s altruistic. Of course, with the money of others,” he took potshots at socialists and neo-marxists.
“Thanks to free trade capitalism, the world is now living its best moment. Never in all of mankind or humanity’s history has there been a time of more prosperity than today. This is true for all. The world of today has more freedom, is rich, more peaceful and prosperous. This is particularly true for countries that have more economic freedom and respect the property rights of individuals,” Javier Milei stated.
Free countries are 12x richer than those that are repressed
While tying the non-interference of the State to economic prosperity, the Argentine President remarked, “Countries that have more freedom are 12 times richer than those that are repressed. The lowest percentile in free countries is better off than 90% of the population in repressed countries. Poverty is 25 times lower and extreme poverty is 50 times lower. And citizens in free countries live 25% longer than citizens in repressed countries.”
“And this is the model that we are advocating for the Argentina of the future. A model based on the fundamental principle of libertarianism. The defence of life, of freedom and of property,” he added.
Why West is in danger
“Now, if the free enterprise, capitalism and economic freedom have proven to be extraordinary instruments to end poverty in the world, and we are now at the best time in the history of humanity, it is worth asking why I say that the West is in danger. And I say this precisely because in countries that should defend the values of the free market, private property and the other institutions of libertarianism, sectors of the political and economic establishment are undermining the foundations of libertarianism, opening up the doors to socialism and potentially condemning us to poverty, misery and stagnation,” Javier Milei stated.
“It should never be forgotten that socialism is always and everywhere an impoverishing phenomenon that has failed in all countries where it’s been tried out. It’s been a failure economically, socially, culturally and it also murdered over 100 million human beings. The essential problem of the West today is not just that we need to come to grips with those who, even after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the overwhelming empirical evidence, continue to advocate for impoverishing socialism,” he added.
“Neo-Marxists have managed to co-opt the common sense of the Western world, and this they have achieved by appropriating the media, culture, universities and also international organisations,” the Argentine President continued.
The way forward for Argentina and Western World
Javier Milei emphasised, “Fortunately there’s more and more of us who are daring to make our voices heard, because we see that if we don’t truly and decisively fight against these ideas, the only possible fate is for us to have increasing levels of state regulation, socialism, poverty and less freedom, and therefore, worse standards of living.
“We have come here today to invite the Western world to get back on the path to prosperity. Economic freedom, limited government and unlimited respect for private property are essential elements for economic growth,” he added.
He cautioned”The case of Argentina is an empirical demonstration that no matter how rich you may be, how much you may have in terms of natural resources, how skilled your population may be, how educated, or how many bars of gold you may have in the central bank – if measures are adopted that hinder the free functioning of markets, competition, price systems, trade and ownership of private property, the only possible fate is poverty.
“Do not be intimidated by the political caste or by parasites who live off the state. Do not surrender to a political class that only wants to stay in power and retain its privileges. You are social benefactors. You are heroes. You are the creators of the most extraordinary period of prosperity we’ve ever seen. Do not surrender to the advance of the state. The state is not the solution. The state is the problem itself. You are the true protagonists of this story and rest assured that as from today, Argentina is your staunch and unconditional ally,” he concluded.
Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra’s office informed reporters that the government bungalow occupied by the TMC leader in the national capital, was vacated by 10 am on Friday before the ‘authorities’ arrived and ‘no eviction’ took place.
“House number 9B Telegraph Lane occupied by Mahua Moitra, was fully vacated by 10 am this morning (January 19, 2024) and the possession was handed over by her lawyers to the Directorate of Estates, who are inspecting and engaged in due process. Premises were vacated before authorities arrived and no eviction took place at all,” Moitra’s office said in a statement to ANI.
Earlier, on Thursday, the Delhi High Court refused to grant relief to the TMC leader and denied her stay on the operation of eviction of the government bungalow.
Moitra challenged the eviction order and sought a stay.
The high court noted that her eviction was not stayed by the Supreme Court. Justice Girish Kathpaliya dismissed the interim application seeking a stay of operation of the eviction order of January 16, 2024.
Dismissing her application the high court stated, “In view of the pendency of the issue of expulsion of petitioner before the Supreme Court and the issue of extension of time to vacate the government accommodation being inextricably linked with that, coupled with the fact that as on date petitioner has no right.”
“This court is not inclined to invoke jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India to restrain the operation of the impugned eviction order. Accordingly, the application stands dismissed,” the HC stated in its order.
“The petitioner having been allotted the government accommodation incidental to her status as a Member of Parliament and that status having ceased upon her expulsion, which expulsion has not been stayed by the Supreme Court despite hearing afforded to her, presently she has no right to continue in the said government accommodation and accordingly, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, she cannot be granted protection as sought,” Justice Kathpaliya said in the order pronounced on Thursday.
The court stated further that the allotment of government accommodation to the ‘petitioner’ was a co-terminus with her status, which has come to an end upon her expulsion as a member of the Lower House of Parliament.
The court pointed out that no specific rule had been brought before the court pertaining to the eviction of MPs from the government accommodation after they cease to be members.
The petitioner sought retention of her government accommodation on the ground that her expulsion as a Member of Parliament was “contrary to law and the procedure laid down by Section 3B of the Act was not followed and despite the respondent no. 1 (Estate officer) having deferred the decision till resolution of representation of the petitioner by authorities the eviction order was passed”.
It was also submitted that in view of her medical condition and the difficulties she would face during campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, she deserves an extension of time to vacate the government bungalow allotted to her. (ANI)
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid down the foundations for several development initiatives in Solapur in Maharashtra today (19th January). The PM laid the foundations for eight AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) schemes in the state worth approximately Rs 2,000 crore at a public event in the southern Maharashtra city.
He also dedicated over 90,000 residences created through the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).
Furthermore, PM Modi dedicated 15,000 houses to the Raynagar Housing Society in Solapur, which would benefit thousands of handloom workers, merchants, powerloom workers, rag pickers, Bidi laborers, and drivers, among others.
Modi also began distributing the first and second instalments to 10,000 PM-SVANIDHI beneficiaries in Maharashtra during the program.
नुसती आश्वासने नाहीत तर ती पूर्ण करण्याची ताकद मोदी सरकारमध्ये आहे. २०१९ रोजी पंतप्रधान नरेंद्र मोदीजींनी या प्रकल्पाचे भूमिपूजन केले होते तेव्हा त्यांनी वचन दिले होते त्या वचनाची आज पूर्तता होतेय. मोदी सरकारच्या नेतृत्वात देशातला सर्वात मोठा गृहप्रकल्प उभारला गेलाय. ३० हजार… pic.twitter.com/zTV7TtsKpe
Solapur is a major textile centre in the country and globally, known for its manufacturing and export of Turkish towels and the characteristic Solapuri chaddars or bedsheets. As per the Urban India Research Faclity report, located near the boundary of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Solapur was historically significant as a religious and trade city under the Bahmani Kingdom and the Mughals, and then as an industrial, trading, and defence centre under the British. This is largely owing to its advantageous location. The city has connections to all of the state’s major regions as well as numerous religious and historical monuments.
The British solidified Solapur’s identity as a town by forming one of four Municipal Corporations in 1852. The British built the Railway Station, which remains an important junction of Central Railways today, as well as a network of highways. Solapur now has three National Highways (NH-9, NH-211, and NH-13) going through it. Given its ideal location, the British supported the establishment of the textile industry, which has played an essential role in Solapur’s socioeconomic and political development, as well as its positioning on the world industrial map.
Since then, the dominant sector of the economy, estimates of employment in the textile industry have ranged from one-third to one-half of the city’s residents.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also launch Boeing’s new cutting-edge global engineering and technology innovation center at Devanahalli, near Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport.
Following that, at approximately 2:45 p.m., the Prime Minister will officially inaugurate the Boeing India Engineering and Technology Centre and launch the Boeing Sukanya Programme in Bangalore.
According to the reports, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate a revolutionary Boeing project aimed at increasing the engagement of Indian women from all areas of life in the Indian aviation sector.
The Prime Minister is inaugurating the new, cutting-edge Boeing India Engineering and Technology Centre (BIETC) campus in Bengaluru. The 43-acre campus, which cost Rs 1,600 crores to build, is Boeing’s largest investment outside of the United States. Boeing’s new campus in India will serve as a hub for collaboration with India’s thriving startup, private, and government ecosystems, assisting in the development of next-generation products and services for the global aerospace and defense industry.
The Prime Minister will also introduce the Boeing Sukanya Programme, which intends to encourage more young Indian girls to pursue careers in the nation’s expanding aviation industry. The program will enable girls and women from throughout India to master vital STEM skills and prepare for careers in aviation.
For young girls, the program will establish STEM Labs in 150 selected locations to assist and encourage interest in STEM fields. The program will also offer scholarships to women preparing to be pilots.
With the Pran Pratishtha just two days away, Jyotirmath Shankaracharya Swami Shri Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati has sparked a new controversy over the grand ceremony.
In a letter addressed to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, he objected to the Pran Pratishtha of a new idol of Shri Ram in place of the existing idol of Shri Ram Lalla which was discovered at the Ram Janmabhoomi in 1949.
श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम
*शंकराचार्य जी ने ट्रस्ट को पत्र लिखा*
ज्योतिष्पीठ के शङ्कराचार्य स्वामिश्रीः अविमुक्तेश्वरानंदः सरस्वती '१००८' महाराज ने *श्रीरामजन्मभूमि तीर्थ क्षेत्र ट्रस्ट के अध्यक्ष महोदय को पत्र लिखा*
The letter written by the Shankaracharya states, “The question that arises is that if the new idol will be consecrated then will happen to Shri Ram Lalla Virajman? Till now the devotees were of the impression that the new temple is being made for Shri Ram Lalla Virajman but now the installation of some new idol in the sanctum sanctorum for consecration has raised doubts about whether this will be disrespectful to Shri Ram Lalla Virajman.”
He has appealed to the trust only Shri Ram Lalla Virajman’s idol should be consecrated “otherwise it will be considered injustice to Shri Ram Lalla Virajman”.
Moreover, the letter also addresses Ram Mandir’s Chief Architect Chandrakant Sompura asking why he allowed for the temple to be available for Pran Pratishtha when it is not yet complete.
The trust had issued a clarification about a year ago
In April 2023, when the initial information about Shri Ram’s new idol was released, a question that struck the mind of many Hindus was that when one Ram Lalla idol is already present, why do we need the second idol?
OpIndia spoke to Vishwa Hindu Parishad (South Bihar) district head Kameshwar Choupal, also a member of the trust, to understand the rationale behind the decision.
Choupal said that there are two types of idols; one is known as ‘Utsav Murti’ and the other is known as ‘Pran Pratishtha Murti’. “Pran Pratishtha idols cannot be moved anywhere, they stay where they are installed. At the same time, ‘Utsav Murti’ is taken out in events like Jhankis or Shobha Yatras,” he said.
He said that the new idol of Shri Ram placed on a pedestal in the Garbha Griha would give devotees a clear sight of the idol right from head to toe from a distance of 19 feet.
It must be noted that the existing idol of Shri Ram Lalla Virajman will be placed in the temple during the Pran Pratishtha.
Since Shri Ram Lalla Virajman’s idol is smaller in size, it is evident that it will be enshrined as the ‘Utsav Murti’ and will be taken out for Jhankis and Shobha Yatras while the new idol will be placed as the ‘Pran Pratishtha Murti’.
Notably, the existing idol of Shri Ram Lalla Virajman is merely six inches in height and the idols of his brothers and his Supreme devotee Hanuman are even smaller. This was also one of the reasons why the trust decided to make a bigger standing idol.
So where will Shri Ram Lalla Virajman be?
As per reports, the new idol of Shri Ram has been installed in the sanctum sanctorum while the existing idol of Shri Ram Lalla Virajman along with his brothers Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughna will installed right in front of the new idol inside the sanctum sanctorum.
Yet another controversy coming from a Dharmaguru ahead of the most pious ceremonies and celebrations in the country is in bad taste.
पहली बात तो आप इतना तनाव न लें क्योंकि आप शंकराचार्य नहीं हैं न्यायालय ने रोक लगा रखी है
और दूसरी बात अयोध्या में जो भी कुछ हो रहा है शास्त्र सम्मत हो रहा है प्रभु राम जी की कृपा से हो रहा है
तीसरी बात फिर से आप शंकराचार्य नहीं है न्यायालय ने रोक लगा रखी है
Netizens have been openly expressing their displeasure with the Shankaracharya who first refused to attend the Pran Pratishtha citing that the Ram Mandir structure was incomplete and hence Pran Pratishtha was against rituals.
However, many experts, the most primary being the renowned Hindu astrologer Shri Ganeshwar Shastri Dravid Ji, have cited several Hindu scriptures providing evidence as to why the Pran Pratishtha can indeed be performed even if the temple structure is not entirely constructed.
Moreover, Jyotirmath Shankaracharya has also gone on to make borderline political statements implying that the government is in a rush to conduct the consecration owing to political reasons.
As the Vedic rituals ahead of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Shri Ram Lalla at Ayodhya’s temple have entered their fourth day on Friday, the holy fire was lit, which will be followed by the establishment of ‘Navagraha’ and a ‘Havan’.
The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Shri Ram Lalla at the historic temple will take place on January 22.
The fourth-day rituals began at the temple today at 9 a.m. with the lighting of holy fire.
The idol of Shri Ram Lalla, which was placed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple in Ayodhya on Thursday, will be given ‘Aushdhadhiwas’ (medicinal abode), ‘Kesaradhiwas’ (saffron abode), ‘Dhritashiwas’ (Dhrita abode), and ‘Pushpadhiwas’ (flower abode).
Following this, the idol will be kept in saffron and later in grains.
The temple doors will be closed to visitors until January 22 and will be reopened the next day.
Meanwhile, as ‘Pran Pratishtha’ Day approaches, the security in Ayodhya’s Karsevakpuram has been beefed up, the area where Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust General Secretary Champat Rai resides.
Visuals showed posters of Ram Lalla installed in several places in the city as it gears up to hold the grand ceremony. Selfie points have been established in several places near the Lata Mangeshkar Chowk, situated near the Naya Ghat at the intersection of Ram Path and Dharm Path.
Posters and banners featuring Ram Lalla were seen illuminating the ‘Ram Nagri’.
As the celebrations of ‘Amrit Mahotsava’ continue, the ‘Vishwa Hindu Parishad’ has set up tea stalls to provide free tea and biscuits to the visitors coming to Ayodhya.
Ayodhya is observing ‘Amrit Mahotsava’ ahead of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony.
The idol of Lord Ram was placed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple in Ayodhya on Thursday. Covered with a veil, the first photo of the idol was revealed during the placement ceremony in the sanctum sanctorum on Thursday.
The photos were shared by Sharad Sharma, media in-charge of Vishwa Hindu Parishad.Vedic Brahmins and revered Acharyas were seen leading worship ceremonies inside the sacred precincts of the Sri Ram Temple.
According to the VHP, members of the Ram Janmabhoomi Tirth Kshetra also participated in the prayers.
The idol of ‘Ram Lalla’ was carved by Arun Yogiraj, a famed sculptor from Karnataka. The idol is 51 inches tall and weighs 1.5 tonnes. The idol portrays Lord Ram as a five-year-old child standing on a lotus also crafted from the same stone.
The Pran Pratishta ceremony will be held in Ayodhya on January 22. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will perform rituals to mark the ‘Pran Pratishtha’; however, a team of priests led by Lakshmikant Dixit will perform the main rituals.
Several celebrities and noted personalities have also been invited to the ceremony.
Meanwhile, the Centre on Thursday announced that all central government offices will be closed for half-day on January 22 for the ‘Pran Patishtha’ ceremony of Ram Lalla at Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
As per the notification issued by the Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, all Central Government offices, Central Institutions and Central Industrial Establishments across the country shall remain closed for half a day till 02:30 pm.
“The Ram Lalla Pran Pratishtha at Ayodhya will be celebrated on January 22, 2024, across India. To enable employees in the celebrations, it has been decided that all Central Government Offices, Central Institutions and Central Industrial Establishments throughout India will be closed for half a day till 14:30 hours on January 22, 2024,” the notification read.
Various activities have been planned by organizations and groups of people across India and abroad to coincide with the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On Tuesday (16th January), the Bajrang Dal members of Manchar in the Pune district of Maharashtra foiled an attempt of cattle smuggling and saved three calves. One Shankar Shalaya Wani (age 40) was arrested in this case. The alleged mastermind of this cow trafficking nexus Mahipati Bhosle is absconding. Both were booked under section 11(A) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960.
On 16th January, Gorakshak Suraj Dharam – a member of the Bajrang Dal Ambegaon Section – received information that some young calves would be loaded in sacks and taken for slaughter in a mini tempo from Mahaluge Padwal. He and his fellow activists shared this information with the Manchar police station inspector Balwant Mandge.
Bajrang Dal members rescued three calves. Image Source: Suraj Dharam
As soon as the information was received, police officers were immediately sent to help the Gorakshaks. When the police inspected the vehicle, they found three calves stuffed in sacks and the sacks were tied from outside. The accused Mahipat Bhagwant fled the spot after learning that the police vehicle was approaching. The police arrested his driver Shankar Shalaya Wani. A complaint was filed by police constable Firoz Momin and an FIR was registered in which both the accused were implicated under section 11(A) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960. A copy of this complaint is with OpIndia.
Gorakshaks and Bajrang Dal members Amol Barave, Atul Thorat, Shubham Gholap, Piyush Thorat, Suraj Lokhande, Sachin Lokhande, Atul Nighot, Sagar Renukadas, Aniket Rajguru, Akshay Rajguru, Babu Dethe, Sujal Dolas, Pawan Lokhande, Ayush Kadam, Monu Pokharkar worked for this action. They took the rescued calves to a Goshala in Bhosari. An activist at Mahaluge Padwal intercepted the vehicle, but one of the accused fled before the team arrived with the police force.
Gorakshaks from Manchar are members of the Bajrang Dal Ambegaon section. Image Source: Suraj Dharam
In an interaction with OpIndia, Gorakshak Suraj Dharam said that Mahipat Bhosle has several cases of cow smuggling registered against him in all four talukas surrounding Manchar. Suraj Dharam said, “Mahipat Bhosale runs a large-scale cow smuggling nexus in Khed, Ambegaon, Junnar and Shirur talukas. The man buys or steals native cows, bulls, jerseys, buffaloes and small calves from various places and delivers these destitute animals to slaughterhouses. He carries some women with him while transporting the smuggled cattle. When someone stops the vehicle, these women protest and fight with Gorakshaks. On several occasions, they have carried out deadly attacks on our fellow Gorakshaks.”
Accused Mahipat Bhosle has many cases of cow smuggling against him. Image Source: Suraj Dharam
Suraj Dharam further said, “Using these women as a shield, false cases have been filed on several occasions against Gorakshaks who came to save the cows. In some cases, hundreds of cow killers and traffickers gather at the spot as well as at the police station and put pressure on the administration. Since Mahipat Bhosle has been in this business for many years, he made a lot of money. His agents work everywhere in the four talukas and come to his aid from time to time. He has set up unauthorised sheds at the foot of the hill behind Annasaheb Awte College at Shindewadi. Cows and calves are brought and tied to this place and taking advantage of the darkness of the night, the animals are taken for slaughter to Junnar, Ale Phata, Belhe and other places.”
Suraj Dharam added, “If someone asks, they are told that the animals are looked after at this place. These issues are dealt with by lying in a very brazen manner. Hundreds of people travel there every day on the road but no one takes pity on these cows and calves. No one objects. People don’t even give simple sneaky information. There is a demand from the people to take strict action against Mahipat Bhosle for a long time.”
