'Trust is organising Ram Mandir event, for them to decide whom to invite': MEA on participation of foreign dignitaries

India's Ministry of External Affairs Thursday, responding to reports of foreign dignitaries having been invited for Ayodhya's Ram Temple consecration ceremony, said the event was being organised by the Ram Mandir Trust and it was up to them to invite people."This Ram Mandir event is being organised by a trust; so they are the host, not the Government. So, it for them to decide whom to invite," said Randhir Jaiswal, who took charge as the new MEA spokesperson, replacing Arindam Bagchi.The Pran-Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of Shri Ram Lalla in Ram Mandir in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya is scheduled for 22 January, 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the event.According to reports, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has extended invitations to representatives from 50 foreign countries to attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir.Reports further said, Champat Rai, the General Secretary of the Trust, personally signed the invitation letters, expressing the strong desire for dignitaries to witness the consecration of the new idol of Ram Lala in the sanctum sanctorum.Ayodhya Ram Temple invitationThe invite for concretion ceremony of Ram Temple on 22 January reads, “You are aware that after a long struggle, the construction of temple at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi is in progress, and on Paush Shukla Dwadashi, Vikram Samvat 2080, January, 22 2024, the new idol of Ram Lalla will be consecrated in the sanctum sanctorum. On the historic day, it is our strong desire that you be present in Ayodhya.”Who are invited for Ram Temple inauguration?As per Champat Rai, around 4,000 saints, including heads of major temples like Kashi Vishwanath, Vaishno Devi and representatives of religious and constitutional institutions have been invited.Also, invitation has been sent to 2,200 other guests for the ceremony.Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will also attend the ceremony.Invites have been sent to celebrities from entertainment industry, including Rajinikanth, Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Anupam Kher, Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Chiranjeevi, Mohanlal, Dhanush, Rishab Shetty Madhur Bhandarkar, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn, Sunny Deol, Prabhas, Yash, Tiger Shroff and Ayushmann Khurrana are invited.Apart from these, Arun Govil and Deepika Chikhalia Topiwala, who played Ram and Sita in the 1987 series Ramayan, have also been invited.Prominent industrialists Mukesh Ambani, Anil Ambani, Gautam Adani and Ratan Tata have also been invited.Sports icons Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli have also been invited.Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Sonia Gandhi and the party’s leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Manmohan Singh have received invitations for the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.With inputs from agencies