The Uttarakhand government has announced its decision to close all the liquor shops across the state on January 22, 2024, to mark the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. An order to this effect was issued by Excise Commissioner Hari Chandra Semwal on Friday, who dictated that Liquor licence holders in the state will not be entitled to any compensation or claims on account of this closure.
Before Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh issued similar orders prohibiting the opening of liquor shops on January 22, terming the day of Ayodhya Ram temple's consecration ceremony as a "national festival".
Apart from banning sale of Liquor shops and bars, the UP government has also declared a holiday for all educational institutions in the state.
According to WION's report, The governments of Chhattisgarh and Assam have also decided to mark January 22 as a dry day. All India Jamiatul Quresh – a Muslim organisation – announced that all the meat shops will remain closed in Lucknow on this day.
Notably, a number of BJP officials, including Delhi Assembly Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, have also insisted that the day of the Ayodhya Ram temple's consecration ceremony, be designated as a 'dry day', reported PTI.
According to news agency ANI, Jharkhand BJP MP Deepak Prakash also wrote to CM Hemant Soren demanding a ban on the sale of liquor and meat in the state on January 22.
PM Narendra Modi will attend the grand event in Ayodhya on January 22 and address the country. The consecration or 'pran pratishtha' ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol will be streamed from the Ayodhya Ram Mandir live across the nation.
A week before the major celebration, vedic rituals will be held for the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on January 16. On January 22, Lakshmi Kant Dixit, a priest from Varanasi, will conduct the principal ceremony for Ram Lalla's consecration. Additionally, there will be a 1008 Hundi Mahayagya, where thousands of devotees will receive food.
Subscribe And Follow ABP Live On Telegram: https://t.me/officialabplive