india

Updated: Feb 05, 2016 09:44 IST

Saints and seers of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Thursday issued an ultimatum to the Centre, declaring they would announce a date for starting the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya unless a special law for the construction was framed or a joint session of the Parliament was convened.

Meeting during the Megh mela on the banks of Sangam, the saints said the date and time of the construction would be finalized after the ‘Sant Samagam’ at Ujjain Kumbh. They also demanded a special judiciary bench to hear the controversial matter and frame a law, aside from calling for a dedicated ministry to protect cows in the country.

The announcement came during the meeting of the central advisory committee of the VHP, the Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal.

Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati, who chaired the meeting, said that the central government should set up a special bench for hearing of the Ram temple issue and frame a special law for it. He also called for acquisition of matths and temples in the country to come to an immediate stop.

A dedicated cow ministry was also part of the demands, with international general secretary of VHP, Champat Rai asking for animal to be declared the ‘Rashtriya Prani’ of the country and cow rearing be made compulsory in all jails and cantonments of the country.

Those present included Ram Vilas Vedanti, Mahant of Digambar Akhada, Suresh Das, head of Sumeru Peeth, Narendranand Saraswati, mahant Kamal Nayan Das, Vijay Ram Das, Mauni Baba, mahamandelshwar Santosh Das Satua Baba and mahant Gopal Das of Saccha Ashram among others.