New Delhi: Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) workers will approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind and Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu to seek their contribution for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Champat Rai, the secretary general of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, said the extensive campaign — Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Nidhi Samarpan Abhiyan — seeking funds will start on Makar Sankranti (15 January) and will continue till Magh Purnima (27 February).
“VHP karyakartas would reach out to 110 million families of 400,000 villages of the country and propagate and flourish Ramatwa by connecting the common man directly with Shri Ram Janmabhoomi,” said Rai, who is also the VHP vice-president.
Rai said the Delhi unit of the VHP will approach the PM, President and Vice-President for contribution in their personal capacity.
“Government has given Re 1 note from their treasury and it was submitted in the bank account and bank has framed that one rupee and kept it. That’s all the contribution we took. We expect cooperation from governments not money,” said Rai.
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Door-to-door fundraising drive
The national spokesperson of VHP Vinod Bansal said that its workers will reach out to every individual. “We are not seeking money from anyone. Our job is to reach out to everyone and if they want to contribute in their personal capacity we will accept it,” he said.
The Ram Mandir is likely to be constructed using domestic funds as the Trust has not yet applied for registration to accept foreign funding. “We have not applied for foreign funding yet, so we can’t accept contribution from foreign countries,” added Bansal.
Rai said the support of every Ram devotee from all over the country will be solicited “for the grand temple to be built on the birthplace of Bhagwan Ram in Ayodhya. For this, the karyakartas (volunteers) of Vishva Hindu Parishad will go from door-to-door with the venerated saints and the rest of the people of society”.
“Hindu society struggled for five centuries to protect the honour of the country by reclaiming the birthplace of Bhagwan Shri Ram. Finally, the Supreme Court accepted the sentiments of the society and the truths of history associated with the temple and directed the Government of Bharat to form a trust. The government announced a trust in the name of “Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra. The Prime Minister accelerated the process of construction by offering worship in Ayodhya on August 05, 2020,” said Rai.
“By going door-to-door, at least half of the country’s 1350 million people will be made aware of the historical truths of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, we won’t leave any corner of the country unvisited. The VHP karyakartas (volunteers) will reach out to every nook and corner of the country, including the Rann of Kutch, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and the mountainous, forest and desert regions of Bharat, to hand out Ram temple literature to people and seek their support,” he added.
Trust to issue coupons & receipts
To maintain transparency in the financial dealings and transactions, Rai said, the Trust has printed coupons and receipts of denominations of Rs 10, 100 and 1,000.
“Karyakartas will issue coupons or receipts according to what the society contributes. The picture of Bhagwan Shri Ram’s temple will reach millions of homes,” he said.
On Tuesday, the Trust had said that it will initiate a “mass contact and contribution campaign” from 15 January to collect funds for the construction of Ram Mandir. As part of the campaign, the public will also be made aware of the historical significance of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
Also read: 10 milestones on the centuries-long road to the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya
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