Upping the ante ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday pitched for building a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya "at the earliest" with an "appropriate and requisite law" and slammed "fundamentalist forces" for obstructing the process.
Addressing workers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh here during the annual "Vijayadashmi Utsav", he described Lord Ram as "icon of India" who does not belong to any community.
"The Ram temple must be constructed at the earliest at Ramjanmbhoomi. It should not be delayed any more. The decision should be taken at the earliest. We say the government should bring legislation and construct Ram temple. Whatever steps would be taken by sants in this regard, we will stand by them," he said.
"Lord Ram does not belong to any community. He is not about Hindus and Muslims. He is an icon of India. His temple must be constructed, be it any way. The government should bring legislation."
Bhagwat's remarks assume significance against the backdrop of the Supreme Court deciding to begin hearing the title suit of the Ayodhya dispute from October 29. The VHP has decided to launch a mass campaign in favour of building a temple.
The RSS chief said a place was yet to be allotted for construction of the temple although all kinds of evidence have affirmed that there was a temple at "that place".
"There is an obvious game plan of a few elements to stall the judgement by presenting various newer interventions in the judicial process. It is in nobody's interest to test the patience of the society without any reason. The construction of the temple is necessary from the self-esteem point of view. It will also pave the way for an atmosphere of goodwill and oneness in the country.
"This matter of national interest is being obstructed by some fundamentalist elements and forces that play communal politics for selfish gains. Despite such machination, the decision regarding the ownership of the land should be expedited and the government should clear the path for the construction of the grand Ram temple through appropriate and requisite law."
He added: "The matter is under jurisdiction of court. It is getting delayed and delayed. How long it will be delayed? The Hindu society is waiting since long for the construction of the temple. People know the facts about it. But some people do politics on it. They are trying to delay the process. Had politics not been there, the temple would have been constructed long ago. It could have been constructed with the cooperation and coordination of all."
Bhagwat said there were lots of temples but Lord Ram "is the symbol of our righteousness and dignity".
"Lord Ram is a national hero. There must be his monument. Babar came here. He was enemy of all. Even of Muslims as well as of Hindus. He demolished the temple to trample our pride forever," he said.
--IANS
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