Construction of Ayodhya mosque likely to be completed by December 2023: Trust
Lucknow (PTI): The construction of a mosque in Ayodhya, being built pursuant to the Supreme Court verdict in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, is expected to be completed by December next year, the trust entrusted with the task has said.
"We hope to get approval to the map of the proposed mosque, hospital, community kitchen, library and research centre from the Ayodhya Development Authority by the end of this month. Soon after we will start the construction of the mosque," Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation Trust secretary Athar Hussain told PTI.
The construction of the Dhannipur Ayodhya Mosque is likely to be completed by the end of December 2023, while the remaining structures on the five-acre Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah Complex will be come up subsequently, he said.
The Supreme Court, in its verdict in the long-standing Ayodhya dispute, ordered the construction of a Ram temple on the 2.77-acre plot where the Babri Masjid once stood, and directed that five acres be allotted for building a mosque in the Uttar Pradesh district.
The 'bhoomi pujan' for the temple was performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August 2020 and, according to the temple trust, it is likely to be opened to devotees in January 2024.
The timing of the completion of the temple and the mosque is significant as the next parliamentary election is scheduled for early 2024.
The Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation Trust, formed by the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board for the construction of the mosque, has also decided to build a hospital, community kitchen, library and a research institute.
"The trust will start the construction of all proposed structures simultaneously and the mosque is likely to be completed first because of its small size. Although no deadline has been fixed, it will hopefully be constructed within a year's time," Hussain said.
Efforts are being made to raise funds for the construction of the mosque and other structures in the complex, he said.
Hussain said the hospital will begin with 100 beds and later upgraded to a 200-bed facility. The community kitchen will initially have the capacity to serve 1,000 people daily and subsequently expanded to cater to 2,000 people.
He said the trust decided to build an Indo-Islamic Research Centre and a library so that the people of the area can benefit from them.
Hussain said that about a month ago, during perusal of the application for obtaining NOC from the fire department for the mosque and other facilities, the department had objected to the narrow approach road.
The district administration was immediately informed about this.
Taking prompt action, the administration has completed the process of measurement of additional land to be given to widen the approach road, the trust secretary said.
He said the land given by the government to the Waqf Board is recorded in the revenue records as agricultural land, so no construction can be done on it without changing its use.
"The trust has already applied for change in its land use and the administration has assured it of completing the entire process and approve the map within 15 days," he said.
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LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
