Ram temples chief priest objects to trusts new arrangement for prasad distribution

The Ram temples chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das has objected to the Sriram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trusts decision to stop the distribution of prasad among devotees from a makeshift temple where the idol is installed.

The deity is at the temporary structure till the Ram temple is built. It was earlier placed in the mosque structure on the Ram Janmabhoomi complex on December 22, 1949.

Under a new arrangement, implemented a few days back, the trusts functionaries have been assigned the job of distributing prasad some distance away from the temple.

Since January 25, 1986, when the lock of the Babri Masjid was opened paving way for the worship of Lord Rama, prasad was distributed from there.

On the arrangement, Das asked if it is correct to offer prasad to devotees by workers of the trust instead of priests.

“I am unable to understand how many people are in the trust and who are responsible to issue orders. Whoever comes from anywhere becomes a trustee,” he said, naming a few people, who he claimed, were behind this “incorrect practice”.

On the issue, Prakash Gupta, the trusts office in-charge at the premises of the Ram Janmabhoomi, said, “We have introduced this arrangement to put things in proper order.” He claimed that when prasad was distributed from the temple, the smooth movement of devotees got hampered. Therefore, “we have arranged a stall some distance away from the temple from where we are distributing prasad”, Gupta said.

This arrangement has proved to be a relief to devotees as they are not stuck in the crowd to get prasad, he said.

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