Only Ram Mandir will be built in Ayodhya: RSS General Secretary Bhaiyaji Joshi

MUMBAI: On a day Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) General Secretary Suresh aka Bhaiyaji Joshi announced several changes and additions to his team at the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) at Nagpur, he said that building a consensus on the Ayodhya dispute was not going to be easy and a Ram Temple “and nothing else” would be constructed in the Uttar Pradesh town.

Stressing that the matter was sub-judice, Bhaiyyaji Joshi told reporters, “It is certain that the Ram temple will be constructed at that place (Ayodhya) and nothing else can be built there, this is also decided.”

Confident of a favourable judgment from the Supreme Court on the matter, Joshi said the construction of temple would begin after the court’s order and it would be built on the basis of its verdict on the ownership of land.

Replying to a question on spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s efforts at developing consensus between the different parties on the issue, Joshi said consensus building was not going to be easy.

“We have always maintained that the temple should be constructed with mutual agreement, but our experience tells us that building a consensus on this issue is not easy,” Joshi said.

Though the RSS leader said he welcomed Ravi Shankar’s efforts at negotiations, he pointed out that there were different groups in society with varied outlooks and to build a consensus among them would be difficult.

Joshi on Sunday expanded his team by inducting two more members as Saha Sarkaryavah (Joint General Secretary). This means there would be six Sah Sarkaryavahas now instead of four earlier.

Dr Manmohan Vaidya, who was Prachar Pramukh (head of publicity) in the earlier team, and K Mukund, who was the Bauddhik Pramukh (Head of intellectual pursuits) in the earlier team, have been elevated to the post of Saha Sarkaryavah.

Arun Kumar, who was earlier Vishesh Sampark Pramukh, would handle the charge of Prachar Pramukh now, while Ravindra Kirkole, who was Paschim Kashetra Bauddhik Pramukh, will handle Samarasata activities.

Paschim Kshetra Pracharak (Western Zonal Pracharak) Vijay Puranik has been transferred to the BJP and will take over as organising secretary of Maharashtra BJP.