The ground-breaking ceremony for a Ram temple in Ayodhya has spread joy across the country and will provide the self confidence needed for making India self-reliant, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Wednesday.

Recalling the three-decade struggle of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its ideological family members for the construction of the temple, Mr. Bhagwat hailed the contributions of veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani, the late VHP president Ashok Singhal and Mahant Ramchandra Das Paramhans.

There were many people who worked hard and some even sacrificed their lives for the temple, many might not be here physically, Mr. Bhagwat said, remembering Singhal and the spiritual face of the temple movement, the late Paramhans.

“While there are some like Advani ji who led the rath yatra but could not come due to the current situation [COVID-19 pandemic]. He must be watching this from his home on TV,” Mr. Bhagwat said, addressing from the Ram temple site in Ayodhya.

Mr. Bhagwat, the guest of honour for the ground-breaking ceremony, termed it a moment of joy, asserting “there is a wave of happiness in the country.”

“There is a pleasure of fulfilment of a dream for years. But the greatest joy is establishment of the self confidence and self-sufficiency needed for making India self-reliant is realised today,” said the RSS chief, who sat along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the havan ceremony.

With the bhoomi pujan, the Sangh’s three-decade pledge of constructing the Ram temple in Ayodhya was being realised, he said.

“When we had taken the pledge, our then Sangh chief Balasahab Deoras had told us we would have to work hard continuously for 20-30 years and we did,” Mr. Bhagwat said, adding today the society was realising the joy of fulfilment of its pledge.

Emphasising that the foundation stone of the temple laid on Wednesday signified the spirit to take everyone along, he said it was being done by the able leadership of the country to make India a global leader.

Requesting people to follow the ideals of Lord Ram to regain the past glory of the country, Mr. Bhagwat said people should also build an Ayodhya inside them based on values and teachings of its king to make India great.

Projecting Ram as an universal king, the RSS chief said he belonged to all and all belonged to him.

Top office bearers of the Sangh, its general secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi, its joint general secretaries Krishna Gopal and Dattatreya Hosabale were present.