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AYODHYA: Almost a week after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat made a strong pitch for a law for construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya , the general mood in the temple town appeared distinctly upbeat.

Pilgrims and eager visitors poured in at Karsewakpuram to be greeted by the lilting sound of Ram bhajans recited by local priests and devotees. The model of the proposed Ram temple is the focus of their attention as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has scaled up its preparations for the temple construction work, hopeful of a favourable outcome of the hearing of Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case which begins in Supreme Court on October 29.

VHP is said to have ordered truckloads of stones and roping in more artisans to carve them into pillars and structures that would be assembled into a three-storied Ram temple once the legal hurdle gets cleared. VHP leaders in Ayodhya claimed that 70 more trucks carrying stones are expected to arrive soon.

This would be almost four times the quantum that VHP brought in more than a year ago at its Ramjanmabhoomi Mandir Nirman Karyashala (workshop) which is being closely supervised by VHP top brass and Ramjanmabhoomi Nyas. VHP’s international vice-president Champat Rai said more stones and artisans would be brought to speed up work.

“We are not going to step back. Ye sachchai ki vijay ke liye ladai hai....(This is a battle for victory of truth). We are just waiting for the Supreme Court order,” Rai said.

There was heavy police presence in Ayodhya on Tuesday. The road to Ramjanmabhoomi was closed for public movement as security personnel kept a hawkeyed vigil around the site. The main litigant from Muslim side, Iqbal Ansari was, however, not amused.

He said the BJP government needed to stop VHP from getting into an overdrive as the issue was pending before SC. “Whenever elections are round the corner, VHP steps up its activities,” he said.

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