Seers want meat and alcohol banned in Ayodhya
Days after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath renamed Faizabad district as Ayodhya, priests and religious leaders on Sunday, demanded that meat and alcohol be banned in the district to "maintain the sanctity" of the place.
On the eve of Diwali, the Chief Minister announced that the twin towns of Faizabad and Ayodhya, on the banks of the Sarayu River, will be called Ayodhya.
Several religious leaders, including the chief priest of Ram Janambhumi, Swami Satendra Das want a blanket ban imposed everywhere since the entire district's name has been changed. The seers believe that it will be an "insult to Lord Ram" if alcohol and non-vegetarian food are allowed in Ayodhya.
"This is a pavitra nagri. Meat and alcohol can't be allowed. We demand that the ban is imposed in the whole area that comes under the Ayodhya Nagar Nigam. Pollution will decrease, it will be good for people's health and encourage pure thoughts," said Acharya Satyendra Das.
When asked what about the people who have been consuming and selling meat for generations, the religious leader said that "just the way a thief is sad when he is called a thief, a non-vegetarian person will be sad when called out...but it is the duty of priests to lead the people in the right path."
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Wednesday, visited the disputed Ramjanmabhoomi site and several ancient temples in Ayodhya, besides inspecting a probable location near the Saryu River for a planned statue of Lord Ram.
The Chief Minister's visit to the Ramjanambhomi site came at a time when the chorus has grown within the BJP and the Sangh Parivar, seeking an ordinance for the temple.
The Supreme Court has fixed the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute cases for the first week of January, before an appropriate bench, which will decide the schedule of hearing.
(With inputs from ANI & PTI)