Next Ram Navami Celebrations Will Be at Ram Temple in Ayodhya: Hardeep Singh Puri at News18 Rising India

Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri, at the third edition of the Rising India Conclave on Thursday, said that “after 496 years, the Ram Janmabhoomi temple will be ready and next Ram Navami celebrations will be in Ayodhya”.

About the urban renewal, Puri said, “From 1947 to May 2014, the urban space was subjected to neglect. The figures show that whether it is the temple or what is happening in the urban space…The number of houses built between 2004 and 2014 under the affordable housing scheme was 13.46 lakh which went up to 1.22 crore in the eight years of the Modi government, nine times higher. The investment in housing was Rs 20,303 crore in those 10 years, which is Rs 2 lakh plus crore, again 10 times higher. The total urban spend was Rs 1.57 lakh crore and it has gone to over Rs 17 lakh crore. The urban space is receiving the attention it deserved.”

“In 2014, the total kilometrage of Metro in India was 229 km, today we have 850 km in operation and, 1,050 km under construction. We are the fifth largest metro system in the world, in a few months, we will be the third largest. By the end of the next year, we will be the second largest after China. We will replace the US which is at 1,056 km. It starts with the focus on urban rejuvenation brought by PM Modi, which is reflecting in the work in all schemes, which are cooperative federal schemes.”

Commenting on the reimagining of historical sites and how heritage will marry architecture, he said, “We are a 5,000-year-old civilization and 75-year-old country. We inherited colonial heritage when we became independent. The answer is to take the historical and cultural legacy and bring in the modern element. For instance, the Central Vista. The Parliament building was built in 1921. Independence was not in the minds of the colonial power when they designed the governing architecture. Why did it take till 2014 for attention to be devoted to refurbishing?”

Responding to the concerns over heritage, he said, “Not a single heritage building will be brought down. Nothing which is of enduring historical value… We are a robust democracy, a very vibrant one. We are also good at the art of false narrative. When we were redesigning the Kartavya Path, Rajpath, the terminology, reflects the colonial mindset. People said the green cover and jamun trees will be removed. Today, the criticism is conspicuous by its absence. I said the green cover will be increased three times…The water bodies will be enlarged. Look at the reception it has received. We were paying Rs 1,000 crore rent for offices of the government to be housed. Some of the construction in the 1960s, one of the buildings where one of my ministries is located is more like an urban slum. Instead, you will have new, modern well-built buildings with technology, facilities, airy and more conducive work environment.”

How do you view Rahul Gandhi’s politics?

“You are influenced by the environment you grow up in. Many people are more fortunate which results in a sense of entitlement. A comment by any Indian politician about Veer Savarkar…A lot of people made sacrifices of the higher order and Savarkar is among them. Sentenced to life imprisonment. To compare yourself to Savarkar, I am not surprised at the reaction, including from the allies of the Congress who have taken exception. Gandhi named three members of one community…it is unbelievable. A member of the community sought legal recource. The leader has been convicted. He could have apologized or sought legal recource. Instead, there are black-attired fashion shows and other forms of melodramatics. Is he the first politician to be disqualified? Seventeen people have been disqualified. There is no discretion…He had torn the ordinance… It is a low-level discourse. People of India have rejected it. India is rising… Some people are not that appreciative. To appeal to them for help and get them to comment is juvenile.”

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