For Ram Temple Ceremony, Half-Day For Central Government Employees

Government employees will get a half-day leave on January 22 so that they can watch live telecast of the grand consecration ceremony at Ram Temple in Ayodhya, sources have said.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh has confirmed that government offices will have a half-day on January 22. The government has also issued a notification in this regard.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it is learnt, has taken feedback from ministers about the preparations for the grand event.

The ministers have been told to light lamps at their homes and feed the poor. They have been asked to celebrate the day like Diwali.

The ministers have also been told to arrange trips to Ayodhya for the people of their constituencies when the temple is opened to the public after the January 22 event. They have been asked to oversee the preparations and accompany residents of their constituencies to Ayodhya on these trips.

The Uttar Pradesh town, believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram, is abuzz with frenetic preparations for the pran pratishta ceremony. Prime Minister Modi will be attending the grand event. Several public figures, including actors and cricketers, have been invited for the programme.

Opposition leaders, especially those belonging to the INDIA bloc, have announced that they will stay away from the event.

Main Opposition Congress has said the BJP has made a “political project” out of the temple in Ayodhya and added that while Congress leaders honour the sentiments of those who rever Lord Ram, they will not attend the event.

Other Opposition leaders such as Sharad Pawar and Arvind Kejriwal, too, have said they would stay away and cited separate reasons for this.