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Ram Temple marks ‘reawakening of national pride’, says RSS chief
The consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya marks the "reawakening of national pride," says RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. He calls for an end to the conflict and bitterness surrounding the dispute and emphasizes the need for peace and harmony. The temple construction is seen as a symbol of cultural nationalism and good governance. Bhagwat also highlights the importance of imbibing the qualities of Shri Ram in society.
New Delhi: The consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya marks the “reawakening of national pride”, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat has said, adding the “enlightened” people of the society must see that the dispute ends completely.
“From a Dharmic point of view, Shri Ram is the most worshipped deity of the majority society in the country and is still accepted as an ideal of conduct by the entire society. Hence, now the conflict that has arisen as for and against over the dispute should be ended. The bitterness that has arisen in the meantime should also end. The enlightened people of the society must see that the dispute ends completely,” Bhagwat wrote in an article published in the Organiser, a publication associated with the RSS.
The consecration ceremony at the Ram Temple on Monday will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Bhagwat, and over 7,000 distinguished guests.
Referring to decades of acrimony between communities that led to bloodshed and protracted litigation over the issue of Ram Temple construction, Bhagwat said there is a need to foster peace. “Ayodhya means a city where there is no war, a place free from conflict. On this occasion, in the entire country, reconstruction of Ayodhya in our mind is the need of the hour and also the duty of all of us,” he said.
The RSS and its affiliates, notably the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which have over the years pushed for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya at the site where the Babri Masjid stood till its demolition in 1992, want the temple to be perceived as an icon of “cultural nationalism” and pave the way for “Ram Rajya”, a model of good governance.
“The entry of Ram Lalla in Ram Janmabhoomi and his Pran Pratishtha (consecration) is the beginning of the campaign for reconstruction of Bharatvarsh which is for the well-being of all, accepting all without enmity and showing the path of harmony, unity, progress and peace,” Bhagwat said.
The RSS sarsanghchalak also said the construction of the temple signifies the “acceptance of the vision of life behind the character of Shri Ram by the modern Bharatiya society”, adding that his qualities such as integrity, forgiveness, sincerity and humility, and compassion and care in dealing with everyone should be imbibed.
“Besides, keeping in view our national life, discipline will have to be instilled in social life also... to once again spread the qualities of justice and compassion, equality with social harmony, fairness, and social virtues reflected in the character of Shri Ram; to once again build a pursuant and courageous society based on equal justice without exploitation, endowed with strength as well as compassion. This would be a social worship of Shri Ram,” Bhagwat said.
