‘Install Ashok Singhal’s statue, memorial pillars’

Prayagraj: Seers across the country, led by Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad (ABAP), have raised the demand for installing statue of Ram temple movement architect Ashok Singhal and constructing ‘kirti stambhs’ (memorial pillars) at Ayodhya, Prayagraj and all important religious places of Hindus.
The names of people, who lost their lives during the Ram temple movement or dedicated their life for it, should be engraved on the pillars, said ABAP office-bearers.
The seers plan to get a resolution passed by ABAP, the apex decision-making body of the 13 recognized Hindu monastic orders in the country, in this regard and then send a formal proposal to the Centre. The ABAP meeting would be held around forthcoming Navratri.
ABAP general secretary Swami Hari Giri said, “The struggle for Ram temple in Ayodhya continued for decades and many people lost their lives during it. Take the example of former VHP chief Ashok Singhal, who even gave his home to the struggle, or Kothari brothers (Ram Kumar and Sharad Kothari of Kolkata), who died in police firing in Ayodhya on November 2, 1990.”
“Now, when the construction of Ram temple is all set to start, we want ‘kirti stambhs’ to be constructed in their honour in Ayodhya and Prayagraj,” he said.
Giri said he has prepared a proposal for ‘kirti stambh’ and installation of a statue of Ashok Singhal near Sangam with names of those who played important roles in the struggle engraved on it.
“We put up the proposal before Akhara Parishad and get it passed. We will then send it to central government for implementation,” he claimed.
He said the seers also want all cases registered against people involved in the struggle to be withdrawn.
“Now that the struggle for Ram temple is over, the cases registered against people in connection with it should also be withdrawn. We have already made a formal request in this regard to the state government,” he said.
It is akin to the cases against freedom fighters that were withdrawn when India got freedom.
ABAP president Mahant Narendra Giri said the seers have also decided to celebrate August 5 — the Ram temple ‘bhumi pujan’ day — like Diwali every year.