Yogi Adityanath had visited Mahaveer and his family in the past and ate food at his house (File)
A Dalit family is the first to get the prasad (prayer offering) sent by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath after the 'bhoomi pujan' of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, an official said today.
The prasad included laddoos, a copy of the "Ramcharitmanas" and tulsi mala, Chief Minister's Media Advisor Shalabh Mani Tripathi told news agency PTI.
He said the first prasad was sent to Mahaveer's family in Ayodhya. Mahaveer, a mason who lives at the Suthati locality of Ayodhya, was visited by Yogi Adityanath during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The Chief Minister had food at his house and interacted with his family.
Reacting to it, Mahaveer said, "I am a Dalit. The CM sent the first prasad to me and my family. I am thankful to him that he remembered me."
"It's a double delight for us. Firstly, our dream of a Ram temple has been fulfilled. Secondly, we got the first prasad. We hope that now the caste discrimination in the state will end and everyone will think of development and welfare of all," he said.
When contacted, a senior Ayodhya official said due to the COVID-19 protocol, very few people were invited for the 'bhoomi pujan'.
"Now, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra trust and the administration are distributing 'prasad' among the maximum number of people. In Ayodhya, the first 'prasad' was sent to Mahaveer's family on the directions of the Chief Minister," the official said.
He said all those invited to the groundbreaking ceremony were given a silver coin having pictures of the Ram darbar and the trust's logo.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)