Centre to Send High-Level Team to Ayodhya to Check Cyber Preparedness Ahead of Ram Mandir Ceremony | Exclusive

The Centre will dispatch a joint team to oversee cybersecurity during the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony at Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir on January 22.

According to sources, officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Information Technology, CERT-IN, and the central Intelligence agency IB will visit Ayodhya this weekend. Sources have also confirmed that a joint team had visited Ayodhya a few days ago to check preparedness and requirements to create a robust system.

A senior government official mentioned that due to the anticipated high volume of content on cyberspace during the ceremony, officials will closely monitor online activities. Concerns arise from potential cyber threats originating from hackers in Pakistan and Indonesia, who might interfere with content or attempt to hack the broadcast.

Top officials aware of the development also revealed that a senior-level official will supervise the team, coordinating with various central and local agencies. The central helpline for cyber frauds is already receiving complaints about monetary frauds, with individuals exploiting devotees under the pretext of donations to the Ram Mandir. Some websites solicit money for ‘Prasad’ from the Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, reportedly collecting significant amounts of money and personal data, posing a risk of potential fraud and data compromise.

Moreover, these websites, operating under the guise of ‘Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Pran Pratishtha’, explicitly distance themselves from the official Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Trust (SRJBT) in their disclaimers. These campaigns are also being promoted through social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube as well as online news portals.

‘Pran Pratishtha’ is a popular ritual in Jainism and Hinduism, where the idol of a deity is installed at a sacred place like a temple, after sanctification. During the time of installation of the idols, the priests perform several rituals amid the chanting of Vedic hymns.

The word ‘Pran’ means life force and ‘Pratishtha’ means establishment. ‘Pran Pratishtha’ or consecration ceremony means invoking life force in the idol.