New Delhi. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated an important and controversial temple along with Hindu priests. The church in the northern Indian pilgrimage town of Ayodhya in the state of Uttar Pradesh stands on the site where a historic mosque was destroyed by radical Hindus decades ago. Modi celebrated the opening with several thousand invited guests, and millions of people watched a live broadcast of the celebrations.

Many Hindus believe that the popular god Ram was born at the temple site. The destruction of the mosque led to serious riots in 1992 that claimed thousands of lives. In 2019, the country's highest court finally ruled that Hindus had the right to build their temples on the disputed plot of land.

“The beginning of a new era”

Analysts also see the temple inauguration as the start of an unofficial campaign for the Prime Minister, who has been in office for ten years and is hoping for a third term in parliamentary elections in a few months. He wants to use the building to inspire the majority of Hindus, who make up 80 percent of the population in the multi-faith country. Critics also see it as a sign of the increasing Hinduization of India, where religious minorities increasingly feel like second-class citizens.

Modi said at his inauguration that today was “the beginning of a new era”. Among the guests were important business people and stars from the world of film and sports. Several states have declared this day a public holiday. However, most of the political opposition did not attend the event as they criticized the mixing of religion and politics. Some Hindus also opposed Monday's inauguration because the temple was not yet fully built.

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