Grand Hindu Temple Opens in Ayodhya Amid Controversy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi presides over the opening, seen as a move to court Hindu voters ahead of elections, while critics accuse him of stoking religious tensions.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi presides over the opening of a grand Hindu temple in Ayodhya, built on a contested holy site, with the event seen as a move to win favor with voters ahead of upcoming elections.
The temple, dedicated to Lord Ram, one of the most revered deities in Hinduism, was built on the site of the 16th-century Babri Masjid mosque, which was destroyed by Hindu nationalist mobs in 1992, sparking riots that killed about 2,000 people.
The opening ceremony is attended by top Indian politicians, businesspeople, celebrities, and tens of thousands of devotees, with the event broadcast live across India and at Indian diplomatic missions and other sites around the world.
Critics accuse Modi of stoking religious tensions and using the ceremony for political gain, with the main opposition Congress party and some Hindu religious leaders boycotting the event.
The city of Ayodhya is being transformed into a tourist hub, with infrastructure improvements including a new airport, hotels, and widened roads, in anticipation of an influx of visitors to the temple.