Ram temple will come up in Ayodhya, government doing everything it can: RSS chief Bhagwat

Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday said a magnificent Ram temple would come up in Ayodhya but did not mention a date for start of construction, prompting a group of saints to stage a protest near the dais after his speech on the second and final day of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s Dharam Sansad.

A proposal for the temple was approved at the meet where saints called upon people to give another term to the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

Bhagwat said before a gathering of saints assembled at the sansad, “If something (related with Ram temple) is not going to happen in the next four to six months, then do not lose heart. In the next one year, Ram temple will definitely come up in Ayodhya irrespective of the political scenario in the country.”

Endorsing the VHP’s proposal for the temple in Ayodhya, Bhagwat said: “The sangh parivar will extend full support to the VHP’s proposal for construction of the temple in Ayodhya.”

The RSS chief said: “The government (Centre) is making all efforts (for the the temple). A law has also come up for granting Indian citizenship to Hindus facing persecution in neighbouring countries. The government is working in the right direction.”

Trying to dispel the perception that RSS and its affiliate bodies raised the Ram temple issue for votes, Bhagwat asked: “Who will construct the temple if not us? We will construct it but it won’t be to appease voters.”

He added, “When the Supreme Court has stated that Ram temple is not on its priority, then the government has to think what to do.”

Swami Awdeshwaranand, mahamandaleshwar of Juna Akhara, also assured the Hindu community that a Ram temple would definitely come in Ayodhya. “For ages, we have been fighting for the temple. It will definitely come in Ayodhya,” he said.

VHP zonal organisation secretary Ambreesh Singh alleged a group of anti-social elements, some in the guise of saints, suddenly started protesting solely to disrupt the Dharam Sansad. He said quick action by VHP activists brought the situation under control.

“The anti-social elements tried to provoke the supporters of the cause by raising slogans, but everything was brought under control. All saints are united for giving another term to BJP in the forthcoming elections and Ram temple will be constructed at the same place. We are determined to keep such anti- social elements out of our agenda,” he said.

A section of VHP office-bearers, who did not want to be named, claimed that the protest could have been stage-managed by the Congress or those belonging to the group which recently held the parallel ‘Param Dharam Sansad’ where Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati announced that saints would proceed to Ayodhya and lay the foundation stone of the Ram temple on February 21.

Meanwhile, Sant Samiti president Swami Avikal said, “If we do not support the BJP government in the forthcoming elections, Hindus will suffer on the whole. We will have to give another chance to the Modi government with the vision ‘Bhavya Sarkar, Bhavya Mandir’. Modi is the only person who gave Hindus the respect which we deserve.”