My belief that Ram Mandir will represent India as strong, prosperous, harmonious nation: LK Advani

NEW DELHI: A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays the foundation stone for a Ram temple in Ayodhya, veteran BJP leader L K Advani on Tuesday said it is a historic and emotional day for him and for all Indians.
Ahead of the ground-breaking ceremony, Advani said, “Sometimes significant dreams in one’s life take a long time to fruition, but when they are finally realised, the wait becomes very worthwhile. One such dream, close to my heart is now getting fulfilled.”
In a statement, he said it is his belief that the Shri Ram Mandir will represent India as a strong, prosperous, peaceful and harmonious nation with justice for all and exclusion of none to truly usher in "Ram Rajya, the epitome of good governance".
"I feel humbled that during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, destiny made me perform a pivotal duty in the form of the Ram Rath Yatra from Somnath to Ayodhya in 1990, which helped galvanise the aspirations, energies and passions of its countless participants," he said.
The 92-year-old BJP leader is not among the invitees for the ground-breaking ceremony of the temple by Modi on Wednesday due to his advanced age amid concerns over the spread of Covid-19 epidemic. Sources informed TOI on Tuesday that no invitation has been received by the leader to participate in the programme.
On Monday, Ram Janmabhoomi Teerath Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai said the invitees were finalized only after they responded to phone calls. "We have the Covid situation, that's why we have kept social distancing in mind. We have personally called and apologised to many people. Age is a factor too. How will Advani ji (92 years) come at this age? So we have carefully prepared a list around these compulsions," he said.
The five people who will grace the occassion on stage include Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, governor Anandiben Patel, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Mahant Nritya Gopaldas, apart from PM Modi.
Hoping the temple will stand for “good governance” and harmony in the country’s social and political environment, he said, “I am also very happy that due to the decisive verdict of the Supreme Court in November 2019, the construction of Shri Ram Mandir is getting started in an environment of tranquility. This will go a long way in strengthening the bond between Indians. Shri Ram occupies an esteemed place in India’s cultural and civilizational heritage and is an embodiment of grace, dignity and decorum. It is my belief that this temple will inspire all Indians to imbibe His virtues.”
While preparations for the ground breaking ceremony for the temple has been on, Advani sat through his final deposition on the Babri Mosque demolition case last week, through a video conferencing facility. The 92-year-old BJP leader, along with other veteran leaders like Murli Manohar Joshi, Kalyan Singh, Uma Bharati among others, is awaiting a verdict by the Special CBI court by August 30 on the case. Joshi deposed before the CBI court on the case a day before Advani, last week.
Joshi, another prominent Ram Janmabhoomi activist in the party with Advani, has also been left out of the invitee list of the programme.