Revered by Hindus because the place the place Lord Ram was born, the traditional website of a controversial new temple close to the positioning of a razed mosque within the Indian metropolis of Ayodhya can also be being cited for instance of ultra-modern safety measures.

Inaugurated by nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a consecration ceremony on Monday, the Ram Mandir, a temple devoted to Hindu deity Lord Ram, has lengthy been a focus of spiritual and socio-political discussions in India and is the topic of threats of assaults by Islamist militant teams.

The temple stands close to the positioning of the Sixteenth-Century Babri Mosque that was razed to the bottom by Hindus in 1992. Building the temple there was a triumph for resurgent nationalists on the whole and for Modi specifically.

That additionally makes it the topic of great threats.

“Ram Mandir will be raised [sic] to the ground, sooner or later,” stated The Resistance Front, an offshoot of U.S designated terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba.

It promised vengeance towards Hindus after the consecration that it described as a “satanic incident”, saying “It will be worst, a Tsunami awaiting for whole Hindutva forces”

The temple was constructed at a value of over $66 million, raised in donations from throughout the nation, in line with native media. A Supreme Court judgment in 2019 dominated on the disputed possession of the land between supporters of the temple and the Babri Mosque, constructed centuries earlier by Muslim rulers who dominated the land on the time.

Among Hindu deities, Rama is among the many most generally worshipped.

Modi’s Involvement

Highlighting his private connection to the temple, Modi launched into an 11-day non secular ritual for the consecration. India is ready to carry basic elections in April/May 2024 and the temple has essential political resonance.

As properly because the Muslim opposition to the Ram Mandir undertaking, there was additionally controversy amongst some Hindus — this was partly over the restricted variety of invites to the occasion whereas some Hindu monks expressed their displeasure across the timing of the ceremony.

In an unique interview with Newsweek, KK Sharma, the Security Advisor of the Ram Mandir Construction Committee, detailed the in depth, close to White House like safety measures.

“We’ve witnessed a tremendous increase in footfall at the Ram Mandir, reflecting its growing importance as a cultural and religious destination,” Mishra stated.

“Our security approach is a three-fold endeavour. First, we’ve incorporated the latest gadgets and technology… Secondly, we aim to ensure the least inconvenience to people… Lastly, our focus is also on pilgrim facilitation,” he stated.

This strategy entailed deploying round 13,000 safety personnel, together with specialised anti-bomb squads and NDRF groups, and establishing superior surveillance with 10,000 AI-powered CCTV cameras and drones for the primary occasion on the twenty second January.

Countering Threats

Sharma highlighted the fixed vigilance towards armed threats, particularly from Pakistani organizations which have been designated as terror organisations by the U.S authorities in addition to India, akin to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The temple has been a goal for main armed acts, together with a major one in 2005 by LeT. “Since the 2005 terrorist attack, where all five threats were neutralized, we’ve significantly beefed up security,” Sharma stated.

The safety preparations for the grand consecration additionally included complete emergency preparedness for chemical, organic, radiological, and nuclear assaults. Constant drone surveillance and a number of entry management factors helped making certain easy circulate throughout the consecration ceremony.

The safety alongside the Saryu river was intensified with the help of NDRF and State Disaster Response Force groups. Checks at worldwide and inter-state borders had been stepped up.

For the high-profile consecration occasion, the SPG, akin to the U.S Secret Service, took cost. “The SPG has taken over the venue with special security arrangements. Now, no one can enter Ayodhya without a pass or an invite,” Sharma stated.

“Technology acts as a force multiplier in our security setup. Even after, we will have quick response teams (QRT) in place, any bold attempt at disrupting peace will be promptly countered,” he stated.

“We will incorporate latest gadgets and will also have a facial recognition system in place which is connected to the local police and India’s Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) database. This tech will help the security teams to launch preventive and proactive steps to neutralise any threats,” Sharma stated. “We’re committed to maintaining the sanctity and safety of this revered site.