RSS Chief: Construction of Ram Temple A Matter of ‘Self-Esteem’, Government Should Take Ordinance-Route

The Sarsanghchalak of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said that the path of building a Ram temple in Ayodhya should be cleared by the government through an ordinance, The New Indian Express has reported.

The head of the RSS, in his annual Vijayadashmi address said, "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."

He claimed that RSS associates itself with sentiments of crores of Indians in its efforts to build a magnificent temple at the birthplace of Lord Rama. "The place of janmabhoomi is yet to be allocated for the construction of the temple although all kinds of evidence have affirmed that there was a temple at that place," he said.

Bhagwat also pointed fingers at “few elements who are conspiring to stop the judgement by newer interventions in the judicial process”. He added that testing of the patience of the society without any reason is in nobody’s interest.

"This matter of national interest is being obstructed by some fundamentalist elements and forces that play communal politics for selfish gains. Politics is delaying the construction of Ram Mandir," he said. This statement of his has also led to speculations on whether the RSS chief may be hinting at his apprehensions of the case getting dragged on under the new Chief Justice.

Bhagwat said that the land ownership decision should be expedited despite such plots and the government should facilitate construction of a grand temple through an appropriate and requisite law.