RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat Wednesday strongly pitched for construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya at "the earliest", asserting that it will end tension between Hindus and Muslims.
Describing Lord Ram as "Imam-e-Hind", Bhagwat said he may not a god for some people of the country, but he is an idol of Indian values for people from all sections of the society.
"... As a Sangh worker, head of the sangh and as a part of Ram janambhoomi andaloan, I want that a grand Ram temple should be constructed at the earliest at the birth place (Ayodhya) of Lord Ram," he said.
"It should have happened by now. The construction of a grand Ram temple will help in ending a major reason for tension between Hindus and Muslims, and if the temple is built in a harmonious way, then there will be no more pointing of fingers at Muslims," he said on the final day of the RSS's three-day lectures series.
This is matter to "strengthen unity" and culture of the country, it is an issue of faith for crores of people of the country, he underlined.
He also supported a dialogue on the issue but said the final decision is with Ram Mandir Samiti which is spearheading the movement for construction of a temple.
A Supreme Court verdict is expected to come soon before the current Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra demits office on October 2.
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Bhagwat also said that it is prerogative of the government whether to bring an ordinance on the construction of Ram temple.
He presented Sangh's views on a number of contentious issues while answering wide-ranging written questions, including on matters like Ram temple, inter-caste marriages, education policy, crimes against women and cow vigilantism.
He strongly backed the existing reservation system for different communities, but said there should not be any politics on the issue.
He claimed there is an increasing acceptance of Hindutva, his organisation's founding ideology, in the world but anger existed against it in India due to various wrong practices which have crept in over the years. The Sangh is working to remove them, he added.
To a question about changing demographic balance in parts of India and the 'declining' Hindu population, the RSS chief said the matter of demographic balance is considered significant world over and it should be maintained here also.
"Keeping this in mind, a policy on population should be prepared," he said, adding that it should keep in mind the country's projected population in the next 50 years and its resources to deal with the number.
He added that such a policy should be applied first where the problem (of population) exists, "where there are more babies but means to bring them up are limited... If their upbringing is not good, then they will not become good citizens."
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