Seven religious leaders from Gujarat invited for Ayodhya event

AHMEDABAD: Seven religious leaders from Gujarat have been invited for the ground-breaking ceremony for Ram temple construction in Ayodhya, a VHP spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Five of them took a Lucknow-bound flight from here on Monday and have already reached Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh for the event to be held on Wednesday, he said.
They were greeted at the Ahmedabad airport by local VHP leaders, he said.
Those who have been invited are - Avichaldasji Maharaj of Sarsa Gurugadi in Anand district, Swami Parmatmanandji Maharaj of Rajkot, Acharya Krishnamani Maharaj of Pranami Sampraday, Shambhunath Tundiya of Sant Savaiyanath Dham in Ahmedabad, Madhavpriyadasji Swami of Chharodi Gurukul, Mahant Swamiji of BAPS Swaminarayan sect and Akhileshwar Dasji Maharaj of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Ahmedabad.
They all were invited for the grand 'bhoomi pujan' in Ayodhya by Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust, Gujarat VHP spokesperson Hitendrasinh Rajput said.
"Out of the seven invitees, only Mahant Swamiji of BAPS Swaminarayan sect is not going due to his age-related issues, while Akhileshwar Dasji will reach there tomorrow. The others reached Ayodhya via Lucknow on Monday," he said.
The Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra general secretary on Monday said 175 eminent guests have been invited for the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
The invitation list has been prepared only after "personally discussing" with BJP veterans L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, lawyer K Parasaran and other dignitaries, the trust's general secretary Champat Rai said in Ayodhya.
He said 175 eminent guests, including 135 seers belonging to as many spiritual traditions, would be present at the programme, adding that some eminent citizens of the temple town have also been invited.