Lucknow: Proposal to install Laxman statue outside mosque creates dissent

The Imam of the historic Teeli Wali Masjid on Sunday opposed the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) proposal to install a statue of Lord Laxman outside the mosque.

"Statue of a grand personality as Lord Laxman should be put at an equally grand place. Tikonia park is small and used for offering 'Namaz'. Islam doesn't allow offering prayers before a statue," said the Imam of Teele Wali Masjid on government plans.

Meanwhile, Maulana Fazl-e-Mannan of the mosque said that even though he has made a request to officials in this regard, he would bring the matter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's notice.

On Saturday, the Lucknow Nagar Nigam in its meeting passed a proposal for the Laxman statue.

The proposal, which was put forward by BJP leaders Ram Krishan Yadav and Rajnish Gupta, will be presented in the state assembly soon.

The aforementioned mosque has been in the news earlier too when BJP veteran Lal Ji Tandon's book Ankaha Lucknow claimed that the centuries-old place of worship was actually 'Laxman ka Teela'.

Meanwhile, Ram Krishan Yadav, who made the proposal, said that there was no need for any controversy over the issue, as their intention was "clean".

Yadav also clarified that the statue was a way of establishing Lord Laxman's great role in Lucknow.

"Lucknow was based and enhanced by Laxman Ji, we want Lucknow to be renamed as Laxmanpuri. We will also bring a proposal regarding it," he added.

However, according to reports, the area falls under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), so the Lucknow Nagar Nigam would need an approval to install the grand statue.