'Can't Pray on Empty Stomach': Human Cost of Ayodhya's Mega Facelift Projects

Displaced without proper compensation, Ayodhya residents raise concerns over land acquisition.

(Image: Vibhushita Singh/The Quint)

Camera: Shiv Kumar Maurya

Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma

"Bhookhe bhajan na hoye Gopala, le teri kanthi, le teri mala...," said Tarawati, a 60-year-old farmer in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, as she watched bulldozers and trucks turn 10 acres of land — which she claims her family has been cultivating since four generations — into a parking area.

The famous Hindi proverb she mentioned roughly means that one can't pray on an empty stomach.

Tarawati is one the many residents of Ayodhya who claim that while the land which they used for housing or agricultural purposes was acquired for several 'beautifying' projects ahead of the inauguration of the Ram Temple, they weren't rightfully compensated.

"If we don't get any compensation what will we eat? What will our children eat? Our children are not educated. They do not know how to read or write. They work as labourers. This land ensures that we have food to eat. If they take this away, where will we go?" the 60-year-old questioned, her eyes fixed on the bulldozers running on her land near the Panchkosi Parikrama Marg, a pilgrimage route in the city.

Building a City Around the Temple

In May 2017, months after coming to power, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in UP launched infrastructure projects worth Rs 30,000 crore in Ayodhya. More recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while speaking at a rally on 5 January, laid the foundation stone of projects worth more than Rs 15,000 crore.

"Today, the foundation stone of development works worth more than Rs 15 thousand crore has been laid and inaugurated here. These infrastructure-related works will once again establish modern Ayodhya with pride on the map of the country. Today's India is beautifying its pilgrimage sites and is also immersed in the world of digital technology," the PM said.

As per a report by the Economic Times, Redevelopment of Ayodhya as per Master Plan 2031 will be completed over 10 years with an investment of over Rs 85,000 crore.

This redevelopment, done in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict in the decades old Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, came at a cost for 41-year-old Maniram Yadav. Yadav's house, constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas (PM Awas) Yojana — a housing subsidy scheme by the central government — was demolished on 7 September 2021.

"We had a house in Ayodhya's Ramkot locality. Four generations of my family had lived there. Due to some reasons, our house was demolished on 7 September 2021. We were told by the authorities that they will build a police station on that land," said Yadav.

Homes of eight families, including Yadav's, were demolished by the authorities in Ramkot.

"They assured us that our homes will be demolished only after we are rehabilitated to another place. But over 1.5 years down the line, we're being pushed from pillar to post by government departments," added Yadav, who works as a Munshi in a local court.

'...Will Sit Near the (Ram) Temple with a Begging Bowl'

For Ashok Kumar and his family of four, five acres of land that they've cultivated for generations, near the Panchkosi Parikrama Marg, is their only source of livelihood.

"(The land) is very important for us. It is our only source of livelihood. I cannot work as a labourer now. My children are still very young to work. Whatever we grow in our fields is just enough to help us with two meals a day. I took a loan to cultivate this land. There is no other source of income," Kumar, 55, told The Quint on a cold January afternoon, days before the scheduled consecration of the Ram Temple.

"What will we do now? There's no option but to sit with a bowl and beg for money near the (Ram) Temple," he continued after a short pause.

Last season, Kumar took a loan to buy seeds and fertilisers to cultivate this land. He is yet to repay that money as his crops this seasons were destroyed after a road was built right through his fields.

"What can we even do if they don't give us any compensation? This is our only support. Whatever we manage to save from Nilgais and other stray animals, is what we keep for ourselves. We stay here and protect our crops in crushing cold. Sleep here under tarpaulins. What will we do if they snatch this from us?" he asked.

Caught in Paperwork

Yadav, Kumar, Tarawati, and several other residents affected by the development projects in Ayodhya, said that whenever they approach the district authorities regarding their land, they are told that they had "encroached the said land illegally."

"If our homes were illegal, how were we paying the house tax? How did we have voter IDs? How were our Aadhaar cards made? How were we paying our electricity bills? Was it not illegal when we were building our houses? Everything became illegal the moment they decided to acquire our land," said Yadav.

As per the residents, most of the Ayodhya city is built on government land, also called nazul land or patta. "Nazul is land owned by the government but given on short or long-term lease to people," a resident explained.

"They told us that the land we were cultivating was nazul ki zameen. But some of us had bought that land from the government. Why are they taking away that too?" questioned Kumar.

Interestingly, a 2021 report by Newslaundry found that the nephew of Ayodhya's then BJP Mayor sold government-owned land to the Ram Temple trust.

'Not Against The Temple but...'

Yadav, Tarawati, and Kumar said that they weren't against the construction of the Ram Temple.

"We are fortunate that our land is being acquired for projects related to Shri Ram Lalla but it is the responsibility of Yogi Adityanath to make sure that we aren't rendered homeless," said Yadav, who now lives in a rented house approximately 5 km away.

"I am very happy that the Ram Temple is being built. It was long due. All of this is happening only because of Yogi Adityanathji. We are very happy about this. We'll be happy about it even if we don't get a house. What makes (Lord) Ram happy, makes us happy," he added.

Tarawati agreed and said, "It is okay that they've taken our land. It is okay that the Ram Mandir is being built. But people should get their rightful dues."

(After repeated attempts, the office of Ayodhya's District Magistrate has communicated that they will respond to our queries after the consecration ceremony on 22 January. The Quint has also reached out to Ayodhya's Public Works Department (PWD), and District Development Authority for a response. This story will be update if we hear from them.)