High Court dismisses plea against 'Bhoomi Pujan' for Ram temple at Ayodhya

Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court has dismissed a plea for stopping the August 5 "Bhoomi Pujan" ceremony for laying down the foundation stone for building a Ram temple in Ayodhya. A bench of Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice S D Singh dismissed the plea filed by a Mumbai based social activist, Saket Gokhale, on Thursday.

Gokhale had filed the petition seeking the court's direction to restrain the "Bhoomi Pujan" for laying down the foundation stone of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, contending that the proposed action would breach the central government's anti- COVID-19 protocol.

The petitioner argued that about 300 people have been invited at a single place on August 5 and that may cause violation of the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government anti-COVID protocol stipulating observance of "social and physical distancing".


The bench, however, junked the petition, dismissing Gokhale's fear of violation of anti-COVID protocols.

"The entire petition is based on assumptions but there is no foundation for apprehending violation of the prescribed protocol," said the bench.

"At present, we expect that organizers and the government of Uttar Pradesh would ensure all the protocol be applicable for social and physical distancing," it said.

"In view of whatever stated above, we do not find any just reason to interfere in the matter and dismiss the petition," the bench ruled.