Hand over Ram temple to Ramanand sect, Champat Rai should resign: Shankaracharya

Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati Maharaj has said that if the Shri Ram temple of Ayodhya belongs to the Ramanand sect, then the temple should be handed over to the sect. The entire saint community will have no objection to this. All the officials of the Trust including the Secretary of Ram Mandir Trust Champat Rai should resign. The work of the temple should be as per the scriptures. He has commented on Champat Rai’s statement in which he has said that Ram temple belongs to the people belonging to Ramanand sect and not to Shankaracharya Shaivites and Shaktas. Shankaracharya clarified that Shankaracharyas do not have any temple of their own. They only give religious system. Champat Rai should know that the theology of Shankaracharya and Ramananda sects are not different. Questioned whether the Ramanand sect considers the establishment of an incomplete temple as scriptural? He said that if the Ram temple belongs to the people associated with the Ramanand sect, then this temple should be given to the people associated with the Ramanand sect before consecration. No one will have any objection to this. The Shankaracharyas of the four Peethas have no animosity, but they believe that it is not appropriate to install the idol without following the scriptures. Shankaracharya said that along with giving the right to worship to Nirmohi Akhara, the Ramanand sect should be given the responsibility of temple arrangements.