RSS chief remembers contributions of kar sevaks, Advani, Singhal

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 5

RSS sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat today recalled contributions of those who helped fulfill the resolve of building a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya, including BJP veteran LK Advani and late VHP chief Ashok Singhal.

Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bhagwat said the foundation of the temple was being done by the same person under whose leadership the dream came true.

While he spoke about 30 years of struggle by the RSS and like-minded organisations to fulfill the resolve, the Sangh chief also had a message of unity, upliftment and inclusiveness.

Bhagwat said the “dharm” Lord Rama belonged to was the one which believed in upliftment, goodwill, development, inclusiveness, peace, harmony and prosperity in the world.

“Therefore, before the Ram Mandir gets completed everyone should build a ‘Ayodhya in their hearts’, in other words shun all evils,” he added.

The ceremony held today belongs to everyone. “Ram sabke hain, sabme hai Ram (Ram belongs to eveyone and everyone has Ram),” he said.

Bhagwat said the foundation had been laid at a time when the world was looking up to India to lead it in the fight against coronavirus. “Self-confidence is needed for India to become self-sufficient and that the laying of the foundation stone of the Ram temple in Ayodhya is the first step towards achieving that goal,” he said.

Remembering those who made the sacrifices, but couldn’t be here physically today, he said: “Advani ji who led the ‘Rath Yatra’ must be watching it from his home. If Ashok ji (former chief of the VHP) were here, it would have been such a source of joy for us. There are also those who could come but couldn’t be called, the situation is such.”

The “bhoomi pujan”, he said, was the culmination of 30 years of intense work put in by the RSS and the then sarsanghchalak, Balasaheb Deoras, had told ‘pracharaks’ like him that building the temple would take 20-30 years of sustained efforts.