LUCKNOW: The state government has decided to raise a pucca boundary wall around all Ramlila grounds in the state. The Yogi government’s decision was announced along with the tabling of the supplementary budget in UP assembly on Monday.Principal secretary, culture department, Jitendra Kumar said that Ramlila grounds are public property and except during monthlong Ramlila enactment they are encroached by vendors and locals. He said that apart from walls, the government also planned to construct elevated platform for staging Ramlila, changing rooms for artists and civic amenities like washrooms and potable water.Sharing an interesting aspect about Ramlila grounds, Kumar said that during freedom struggle, freedom fighters used them as meeting spots. “They would come to see Ramlila and would meet and draw their plans and disperse. So, Ramlila grounds are also symbol of our national movement,” said Kumar.In the first phase, Rs 5 crore have been earmarked for construction of boundaries around Ramlila grounds in Varanasi, Allahabad, Mathura and Faizabad.UP culture minister Laxmi Narayan defended the government decision and said that it was for creating amenities and safeguarding public property. “Ramlila grounds would be spruced up in a phased manner,” he added.Government plans to construct elevated platform for staging Ramlila, changing rooms for artists and civic amenitiesRELIGIOUS TOURISM‘Didn’t Akhilesh govt spend public funds on graveyards?’The announcement, coming at a time the state was gearing up for the Lok Sabha elections, had political overtones as Ramlilas are staged with much fanfare ahead of Dussehra and are scheduled to start next month.When questioned whether the government was pushing Hindutva agenda in the run-up to 2019 elections, the minister said, “Our government has taken a number of steps to promote religious tourism since coming to power. This decision is also on the same lines. What is the harm if government renovates Ramlila grounds? Didn’t Akhilesh Yadav government spend government funds on graveyards.”Akhilesh government had earmarked funds for boundary walls of graveyards as well as cremation grounds and in 2017 elections campaign, BJP had accused Samajwadi Party of wooing Muslims and leaving cremation grounds unattended.

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