President Ram Nath Kovind made the first contribution towards the reconstruction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Friday. The President donated a sum of Rs 5,01,000 to the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerath Kshetra Trust.
A delegation comprising Vishva Hindu Parishad’s international working president Alok Kumar, Govind Dev Giri, treasurer of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerath Kshetra Trust and others had come to seek the President’s contribution for the construction to the temple.
“He is the first citizen of the country so we went to him to initiate this drive. He donated a sum of Rs 5,01,000,” ANI quoted VHP’s Alok Kumar as saying.
The VHP and associated organisations have launched a fund-raising campaign — Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Nidhi Samarpan Abhiyan — from January 15 to February 5.
The trust estimates the total cost of constructing the temple complex at Ayodhya will be about Rs 1,100 crore, including about Rs 300-400 crore to be spent on the temple itself.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also handed over a cheque of Rs 1 lakh to VHP as a contribution to the reconstruction of Ram temple. Former Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi also led a fund drive cause in Patna.
