Shrine model dispute hampers Ram temple movement

Narsinghpur, MP, Dec 8 (UNI) Jyotish and Dwarka Sharda Peeth Shankaracharya Swaroopananda Saraswati today said the shrine model and the question of leadership was coming in the way of Ram temple construction at Ayodhya.

''We favour a unique shrine on Ram Janmabhoomi. The immense Angkor Vat temple in Cambodia is built according to Vastu Shastra. A similar model has been made but the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas (trust) is adamant on its own model,'' he added.

Responding to a question, the Shankaracharya said that he did not favour shrine-building under the trust's leadership as the latter ''hoodwinked'' everyone by laying the 'foundation stone 192 feet away from the Ram Janmabhoomi spot'.

''In 1898, a court ruled that Ram Janmabhoomi was located in Ayodhya and stones were also placed. They still exist in Ayodhya.

There is no difference among men of religion on the Ram Janmabhoomi issue,'' he added.

On the deluge of fake Shankaracharyas, he narrated that in 1979 a proposal was passed by religious heads, including himself, that four 'mathas' existed in India and only their chiefs would be designated as shankaracharyas.

''The responsibility of checking the spurt in Shakaracharyas vests with the government, which is keeping mum,'' Swami Swaroopananda alleged.

Reacting to the spiralling conversion, he said that foreign funding was a factor.

UNI XC-AC PA DB2031