Allow Indian diaspora to donate for Ram Mandir construction: Indian-American activist’s appeal to PM Modi

Ram mandir bhumi pujan to be held in the first week of August.

Support has been pouring in from several quarters for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. A prominent Indian-American activist has made an appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to permit members of the Indian diaspora to contribute for the Ram Mandir for which the bhoomi pujan will be held in the first week of August.

According to Prem Bhandari, a community activist, there are 3.2 crore NRIs and Persons of Indian Origin around the world. He said many of them want to contribute to the development of a grand Ram temple.

“I am a Bhakt of Ram Lalla and I too wish to contribute to the grand temple that will be constructed,” Bhandari, also the head of Jaipur Foot USA, said.

He said many people who are not living in India want to donate for the construction of temple.He appealed to PM Modi to ensure a system that enables those interested to contribute any amount they deem fit from USD 10 to USD 100.

He said that money collected from the diaspora should directly go to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust. The trust was set in February this year following the Supreme Court’s landmark judgement in November 2019.

“There must be provisions in place to ensure interested NRIs too are able to contribute,” Bhandari said.

Bhandari’s suggestion comes just two weeks before the bhoomi pujan ceremony for the Ram Mandir. The Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the event. According to reports, PM Modi is likely to visit Ayodhya on August 5 for the bhoomi pujan ceremony to begin the construction of a grand Ram temple.

The bhoomi pujan will be performed with the placing of a 40-kg silver brick at the sanctum sanctorum. Three-day-long Vedic rituals, beginning August 3, will precede the main ceremony. 

The Nakoda Bheravnath Charitable Foundation had earlier donated Rs 1.5 crore (USD 200,882) for the COVID-19 cause. Bhandari is the Chairman of the foundation’s advisory board.