In audio clip, Vedanti flays Nyas head, stakes claim to Trust chief’s post, denies comments later

At a time when Hindu saints of Ayodhya are vying with one other to become members of the new Trust to be constituted by the Centre on Supreme Court orders for construction

At a time when Hindu saints of Ayodhya are vying with one other to become members of the new Trust to be constituted by the Centre on Supreme Court orders for construction of the Ram temple, former BJP MP Ram Vilas Vedanti found himself in the eye of the storm after a purported audio clip of a conversation between him and Paramhans Das of Tapasvi Ji Ki Chhavni was widely shared on the social media.

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In the audio clip, Vedanti is heard urging Paramhans Das to float his (Vedanti’s) name for chairmanship of the new Trust.

Vedanti, who is also a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader and mahant (head priest) of Vashisht Bhavan in Ayodhya, is heard opposing chief minister Yogi Adityanath’s name for the same post on the ground that he belonged to a different sect of saints.

Speaking to a news channel, Vedanti denied the comments attributed to him in the audio clip.

However, when HT made repeated attempts to reach Vedanti on his cell phone number, he was not available for comment.

During this alleged conversation, both Vedanti and Paramhans Das were heard making objectionable comments about Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, head of the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas.

Angry followers of the Nyas chief had staged a protest at Tapasvi Ji Ki Chhavni on Thursday, demanding arrest of Paramhans Das, prompting the police to take him to an undisclosed location for a few hours as a precautionary measure.

The Nyas head operates from Mani Ram Das Chhavni Peeth in Ayodhya and is considered among the most revered saints in Ayodhya.

In the audio clip, Vedanti is also heard objecting to the Nyas head’s proposal to make chief minister Yogi Adityanath head of the new Trust.

Justifying his opposition, Vedanti is heard asking: “How can a person of the Gorakhnath sampradaya (sect) become chairman of a temple of the Ramanandi sampradaya (sect)?”

Besides being chief minister, Adityanath is also mahant (head priest) of the famous Gorakhnath temple which belongs to the Nath sect of saints.

Vedanti is heard asking Paramhans to either push his name for the chairmanship of the new Trust or of a person who belongs to the Ramanandi sampradaya.

Mahant Nritya Gopal Das has already opposed formation of any new Trust for construction of Ram temple and has said if at all a new Trust is needed, chief minister Yogi Adityanath should head it.

Mahant Suresh Das, head of the Digambar Akhara, has said, “The government’s decision will be final when it comes to formation of the new Trust for construction of Ram temple.”

Senior VHP leader Dinesh Chandra has already said, “After the new Trust is constituted by the Centre for construction of Ram temple, all properties of the Ram Janmabhoomni Nyas will be transferred to this new Trust.”

His statement is also being viewed as an attempt to set-aside all controversies related with formation of the new Trust.

Raju Das, priest of the famous Hanuman Garhi temple, also wants the Nyas to construct the Ram Mandir.

“If a new Trust is constituted, then outsiders will become its members. So, let Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas construct Ram temple,” said Raju Das.

The Supreme Court on November 9 paved the way for construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and also directed the Centre to constitute a new Trust for the purpose.

The court also directed the Centre to give representation to the Nirmohi Akhara in the new Trust while rejecting the Akhara’s petition for ownership of 2.77 acre land at Ram Janmabhoomi site.