With the preparations for the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in full force not just in Ayodhya but also throughout India, Indore is no different to the fervour. However, an order by the Mayor of Indore has grabbed people’s attention. In the order, Indore Mayor, Pushyamitra Bhargava has asked all the owners of shops and malls to install a replica of the Ram Mandir from the 15th of January to the 21st of January before the ceremony on the 22nd but that is not all. The order also has a subtle warning for all those owners who do not comply with the ‘request’ which talks of objections from the residents and the people’s response to the owners on not complying.

The Indore Mayor made his point to the critics by saying that if shopkeepers and owners can put up Santa Clause and Christmas trees which are a tradition under Christianity throughout Christmas and New Year’s without any objection, the same should be done (installing replicas) for the said seven days keeping in mind the massive Diwali like celebrations which are to be undertaken by the Madhya Pradesh state government in various cities across the state.

Bhargava said on Monday, “We had requested all the malls, restaurants and institutions of the city to install replicas of the Ram temple... If Santa Claus and Christmas trees can be installed from December 25 to January 2 and you have no objection to that, then a replica of Ram Mandir should also be installed.”

“No one should have any objection in doing so and if people do not cooperate in this Rammay Utsav without any reason, then the people of Indore know how to respond to them. This is the work of Ram ji. It is the work for Ramrajya. I don’t think anyone should have any objection to this,” he added.

The Ram Mandir consecration comes after the 2019 Supreme Court verdict which allowed the construction of a Ram Mandir at Ayodhya on the place where the Babri Masjid was demolished after centuries-long struggle by Hindus who claimed that the Masjid was built after destroying a temple at the birthplace of Lord Ram and that a temple should be re-constructed at the very same spot.  

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