New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday announced the formation of an independent trust including 15 members to oversee the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. The Trust will be free to make all decisions regarding the construction of the temple in Ayodhya.
Addressing reporters at the briefing of decisions taken by the Cabinet, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that it would be incorrect to link the decision of the Union Cabinet to form Ram temple trust with the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls.
On being asked why the decision was announced on Wednesday and not on Sunday after the Delhi polls, Javadekar said: "This is the decision taken for the temple in Ayodhya. Nothing to do with Delhi (polls). The whole country is not under elections. Let us not confuse the situation."
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The Supreme Court had directed the government to form the trust within three months and the deadline was ending on February 9.
Asked whether the Election Commission's nod was taken before the Cabinet decision on the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra, Javadekar said "It is a Supreme Court order. So I think the Supreme Court by name is supreme." He refused to entertain questions on the opposition questioning the timing of the decision, stating that he would not say anything from a government platform.
He said questions regarding the trust would be answered by Home Minister Amit Shah.
Apart from this, the Union Cabinet has cleared a Rs 51,000 crore port project at Vadhavan in Maharashtra to enhance import and export, which is part of the Rs 100 trillion investment in infrastructure announced by the Narendra Modi government.
The Cabinet also cleared amendments to the Banking Regulation Act to safeguard depositors of multi-cooperative banks. Following constant complaints from investors, the Union Cabinet has also decided to bring co-operative banks under the rules and guidelines of Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
The Cabinet also allowed Alliance Air, a subsidiary of Air India, to start international flights between India and Sri Lanka.
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