Modi temple inauguration cancelled

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s disapproving tweet on a temple in his name in Rajkot’s Kothadia village, its initiator has decided to cancel its inauguration and remove Mr. Modi’s idol and photograph from the site.

“The inauguration will not happen today. The Prime Minister has tweeted that such things are against our culture and we agree with him. We think he is right. We will now only worship Bharat Mata. The programme of mass marriage will be held as planned. Mr. Modi will remain in our hearts,” Ramesh Undhad of the Om Yuva Group, who donated for the Modi temple, told The Hindu.

Mr. Modi had tweeted, “Have seen the news about a temple being built in my name. I was appalled. This is shocking & against India’s great traditions. Building such temples is not what pour culture teaches us. Personally it made me very sad. Would urge those doing it not to do it. If you have time & resources, please devote the same towards fulfilling our dream of Clean India.”

While the temple existed from 2006, it had photographs of Mr. Modi and the icon of Bharat Mata. The villagers recently called artisans from Orissa to renovate the temple and make an idol of Mr. Modi, which was slated to be unveiled on Sunday.

The cost of the project was Rs. 1.70 lakh, which was raised through contributions from the Om Yuva Group.