UP CM exempts Ayodhya temples, religious shrines of civic body taxes

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday visited the temple town of Ayodhya and asked the city's municipal corporation not to impose commercial taxes on temples and other religious shrines.

On his first visit to Ayodhya after assuming charge of the state for the second term, Adityanath also reviewed the preparation for the upcoming Ram Navami Mela in the temple town.

Around 10 lakhs devotees are expected to participate in the fair that would be held after two years due to the Covid pandemic.

At Ayodhya, Adityanath also offered prayers at the Hanumangarhi temple and paid a visit to the construction site of the Lord Ram temple.

The chief minister also visited the Balrampur district later and offered prayers in three temples there. He will have a night halt at the Devi Patan temple there and leave for Siddharthnagar on Saturday.

A report from Gorakhpur, meanwhile, said CM Adityanath will observe a nine-day fast during "Chaitra Navratri" beginning Saturday and will perform special puja there for peace, prosperity, health and happiness in the state and nation.

In the temple town, Adityanath asked the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation not to take commercial tax from temples and other religious shrines.

The municipal corporation must not charge house tax, water tax, sewer tax from monasteries, temples, 'dharamshalas' and charitable organisations at commercial rates as all these institutions do charity work and public service, the CM said.

The chief minister asked the civic body to take only financial cooperation from religious shrines in the form of token monetary contributions.

The CM also directed the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation to make a proposal regarding this and get it approved by the government.

After the foundation-laying of the Ram temple in August 2020, this will be the first Ram Navami Mela after the Covid pandemic and the CM asked officials to organise this fair with grandeur and make special efforts for bringing Ayodhya on the world map.

While reviewing the preparations for the Mela, Adityanath, in his address, said the construction of the Ram temple has started and thousands of devotees will come to Ayodhya every day from all over India.

Keeping this in view, create an enchanting atmosphere and decorate Ayodhya in such a way that the devotees find the whole atmosphere full of Ramayana era, he said.

During his visit, the CM met Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das and senior seer of Bhaktmaal Mahant Kaushal Kishor.

The report from Gorakhpur said that while keeping the nine-day fast during Chaitra Navratri, the CM will perform special puja for the peace and prosperity in the state and nation.

On Saturday, along with the worship of Maa Shailputri, Durga Saptshati Paath will begin in Shakti temple on the first floor of the Gorakhnath temple Math, Dwarika Tiwari of the temple said.

Acharya Ramanuj Tripathi, also of the Gorakhnath temple, said on the day of Ashtami on April 9, Nisha Pujan will be performed at the night and Kanya Pujan will be held on the Navmi which is on April 10.

He hoped that the chief minister and Gorakshpeethdhishwer Yogi Adityanath might participate in the temple's Kanya Pujan program.