Maha governor attends Ayodhya temple fund-raiser, calls Ram `national deity'

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Friday donated Rs 1,11,000 for the constructionof Ram temple in Ayodhya at a fund-raising program here.

Lord Ram unites nation and he is our national deity,he said.

Koshyari attended the launch of a campaign fordonation collection for the Ram temple, organised by theVidarbha branch of the Ram Janmabhoomi Teerthkshetra Nyaas.

He also performed `Aarti' along with president of theHindu Dharm Acharya Sabha Swami Avadheshnand Giri Maharaj andNagpur Mayor Dayashankar Tiwari at the Poddareshwar Ramtemple, where the program was held.

Bhoomi pujan (ground-breaking ceremony) for the Ramtemple in Ayodhya was done by Prime Minister Narendra Modilast August after the supreme court paved the way for itsconstruction.

Speaking at the program, Koshyari said ''we arefortunate'' that a grand Ram Temple is being constructed atAyodhya.

Lord Ram united the country, he said.

''Ram is not just Ram, he is 'Rashtra' (symbol ofnation) for us all, he is 'Rashtradev' (national deity),'' thegovernor said.

''We are moving in the rightdirection for bringing`Ram Rajya' and the country is also moving in the rightdirection,'' he said.

''We should not demand (things from the country) butthink what we can give to the country, and if we carry on withthis feeling then I feel that Ram Rajya is not far,'' he said.

PTI CLSKRK KRK