The proposal, presented to governor Ram Naik, is part of the state tourism department’s initiative to promote religious tourism.
UP chief minister Adityanath. Credit: PTI
New Delhi: The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has proposed to build a “grand statue” of Lord Ram on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya.
The proposal, presented to governor Ram Naik, is part of the state tourism department’s initiative to promote religious tourism, reported the Indian Express.
According to the Indian Express, the government’s slideshow put the height of the statute at 100 metres but some officials said that wasn’t final.
The building of the Ram statue is part of the UP government’s plan to showcase ‘Navya Ayodhya’.
The presentation, made by principal secretary of tourism Awanish Kumar Awasthi, included information on programmes scheduled for Diwali celebrations in Ayodhya on October 18.
According to a press communique released from Raj Bhavan, the statue is going to be built at Saryughat after clearance from the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
Awasthi told the Indian Express that this was a “concept proposal” and the letter to NGT seeking clearance was yet to be sent.
A Ram Katha gallery and an auditorium in Digambar Akhada are also in government’s plan.
The state government was recently accused of playing politics over the Taj Mahal when it was not featured in the tourism booklet issued last week. In July this year, finance minister of the state had made no mention of Taj Mahal in the special section ‘Hamari Sanskritik Virasat’ (Our Cultural Heritage) incorporated in the 63-page annual budget for 2017-2018 speech.
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