RSS to take action on Ram temple whichever party takes power: Bhagwat

DEHRADUN/NEW DELHI: A day after VHP said it will put the Ayodhya agitation on the backburner for the next four months, till the Lok Sabha elections are over, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said the Sangh will take up building of the Ram temple after the polls, irrespective of the colour of the government.

During closed-door interactions at the RSS office in Dehradun, Bhagwat responded to several questions ranging from Ram temple and religious discrimination to caste-based reservations. On the temple, Bhagwat reiterated his stand that it will be built as per the “dharma sansad” held at Kumbh recently.

But what is of significance is that Bhagwat endorsed the VHP position that the demand will not be pursued at present as it will mire the Ayodhya issue in politicking and become a “petty election issue”. An RSS functionary said, “Bhagwatji said that after the elections, irrespective of which government comes to power, the Sangh, along with religious leaders, would take action.”

He added that Bhagwat did not spell out a specific date for building the temple but went on to state that “Ram temple and gau raksha” are the basis of Hindu culture and are must for bringing back the glory of Hindu culture.

In its recent resolution, the dharma sansad noted that with the election bugle to be sounded soon, “pseudo-secular” political forces are gathering in full force. “The sant samaj shall not give the pseudo-secular pack the opportunity to drag this holy and important movement of Shri Ramjanmabhoomi into a political vortex and swamp,” it said.

On other issues, Bhagwat said he supported reservations but also advocated a broader social outreach. “Bhagwat stated that the RSS is not against reservations but the benefits of reservations must also be made available to all deserving people irrespective of their caste, sect and religion,” said the functionary.

The VHP and RSS’s decision to put the Ram temple agitation on hold till the Lok Sabha polls are over is a respite for BJP, which has been in a bind over the slow progress of the dispute in court. The Centre’s decision to move a fresh plea seeking return of all the land acquired post-Babri Masjid demolition — barring a small disputed area where the idol of Ram Lalla has been installed — is seen as a bid to convey the central government’s sincerity towards the temple cause.

The VHP decision indicates that a common position has been worked out between BJP, RSS and VHP as regards the temple demand that will give BJP political breathing space ahead of the elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has previously said that the court process will need to play out before any other initiative on the temple can be considered. He was seen to be responding to VHP and RSS demands for an ordinance or legislation.

The RSS’s strident support for legislation was seen by insiders as a means of conveying the Sangh’s unflinching backing for the temple to the assembly of sadhus and sants who are spearheading the demand.

RSS media head Arun Kumar said sant samaj and those demanding construction of the temple are satisfied with the government decision seeking handover of land around the Ram Lalla idol.

He said campaigns for mass awareness will continue, like a programme scheduled for April 6 where “Shriram Jairam” mantra will be chanted in temples across the country.

VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal said the resolution was passed to put the agitation plan on hold in light of the Lok Sabha polls when there will be a code of conduct and restrictions in place. “Sant community felt that that there should not be any confrontation,” Bansal said.