BENGALURU, 20 JAN

BJP State President BY Vijayendra said on Saturday that more than 35,000 Ram devotees will travel from Karnataka to Ayodhya over around 60 days after 22 January, the day the Ram Temple will be consecrated. As many as 25 trains, each carrying around 1,500 devotees, will travel to Ayodhya from 31 January to 25 March with devotees themselves bearing the expenses, Vijayendra said in Bengaluru.

“The State government should cooperate and maintain the law and order while not hindering the enthusiasm of the Ram devotees. Cases such as Srikanth Poojari’s and damaging the flex of Lord Rama in Kolar can cause trouble,” the BJP leader said. If something goes wrong, Congress is to be blamed without a doubt, Vijayendra said.

The inauguration of the Ram Temple will be telecast live on more than 60 PVRs in the State. Vijayendra said the response of the people to the distribution of Mantraakshathe (uncooked unbroken pieces of rice mixed with turmeric) was beyond expectations.

Vijayendra said the statement of Congress MLC BK Hariprasad that a Godhra-like incident may occur in the State shouldn’t be dismissed easily as the Congress is in power in Karnataka. Hariprasad is not an ordinary person and the government should check whether he said it intentionally or maliciously, the Shikharipura MLA said.

About IT & BT Minister Priyank Kharge's allegation that the Central government is controlling the State government through the Governor in the matter of Hariprasad, Vijayendra said in the coming days, “We will know whether it is the Central government or State government that is targeting Hariprasad.”